Anything and Everything 5: The Eagle and Dragon
by Buddyboy98
Summary: A war has broken out between China and the United States, the outcome affects everyone from the Dragon Council to the United States itself. This war will stretch the Long Family to it's limits, can they get through it? Or will it tear them all apart?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**24 Hours after the events of _'Anything and Everything 4: New Horizons' _**

* * *

><p>Hong Kong was burning, but after an entire day of missile bombardments, any city in the world would look as it did at that moment. Much to the surprise of the attackers, the Chinese were putting up little resistance. Perhaps it had something to do with the four million Russians that were coming down from the north to meet them. In just one day after their official entry into the war, The United States of America had effectively leveled most of the Chinese Coast. It would continue until they reached Beijing. They all knew that the Russian's themselves wouldn't stop until they practically ran over the Chinese Capitol and they also knew that the American's wouldn't stop until they had every single person who had sponsored the terrorist attack on Washington in chains.<p>

The group of 30 Black Hawk Helicopters that hung over Hong Kong and continually fired rockets at the city's infrastructure, political, and defense centers were keeping Chinese Moral down and Allied Moral up. The hammer was coming down hard and it was coming in the form of the power of the United States Military, because no matter how bad the economic state of the US was, the Military had never changed. It was still being debated as to if they should launch a ground invasion. In collaboration with the Russians, they were slowly coming to the conclusion that if an invasion from the east and the north were to happen, it would split the massive Chinese Army into two manageable groups. But President Eggert and the Joint Chiefs were still not convinced.

She had justified this war in her mind for two reasons, the phone call that Bernard Waters had placed to the Chairmen of the People's Congress Zhu De and Project Iron itself. The only reasons that the Russians had decided to declare war on China was because of their creation and implementation of Project Iron. But whatever her justification, she was in this and she had to use everything she had to win it, and at the last resort, she would use Nuclear Weapons. But for now, she was going to stick to the massive US Pacific Fleet, the Air Force, The Marines and the CIA.

A few hours after she had addressed the American People and told them what was going to happen, President Eggert had ordered the CIA to unleash their fleet of drones into the Chinese Mainland. Mainly to launch attacks and to survey the landscape of the land that had been somewhat forbidden and they had already positively identified several Nuclear Missile Silos outside of Beijing. It alarmed her and she was still weighing her options on what to do about them, the CIA? Missile Strikes? Invasion? There were so many possibilities. She just needed a little time to choose.

"All reports indicate that the People's Liberation Army has got their hands full with the Russian Army and that is the only reason that there hasn't been heavy fighting in our bombardment zones," Admiral Thomas Rice, the Pacific Commander of Naval and Air Forces reported over the phone, they were in the Oval Office, the Joint Chiefs, The Secretary of Defense and the new Secretary of State, she was sitting at her desk with her fingers clasped together, "I was going to unleash more Black Hawks to completely secure Hong Kong, but I need to send the Marines Corp into the city to have 100 Percent Security, but I need your order and authorization to do that Madam President."

"You say that if we do not fortify Hong Kong, there is a large possibility of the Chinese Army taking it back from us if they decided to split their forces?" Jennie asked, she had been doing nothing but smoothing out war plans for the past day, unless you counted the three hours of sleep that she had gotten, but other than that it was just planning.

"That's correct Madam President," Admiral Rice affirmed throatily, he had been shouting orders, "I'm sure that the Joint Chiefs and the Defense will back me up on it."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she leaned back in her chair, "Admiral, what is the current complement of Marines that you have assigned to your task force, _10,000?_"

"30,000 Madam President," Admiral Rice responded with a slight laugh.

Jennie smirked, that worked perfectly, "Split it into two, I want fifteen thousand to go onto shore first and neutralize the resistance, when it's safe you can send in the other."

She looked up and saw the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense all nodding approvingly at her, looking back down at her phone she smiled, "The order is given Admiral. I expect to have a report back from you at the end of the day, understood?"

"Yes Madam President," Admiral Rice responded.

Jennie could almost hear the smile in his voice, so far, everything was going smooth.

* * *

><p>She was exhausted, she was covered in blood and the only reason that she was able to get home without having the cops called on her was the jacket that her friend had let her borrow. Shutting the door behind her, she sighed and hung her keys on the hook. This would be first time in an entire day that Rose Long would be allowed to get some sleep, she had been up for 24 straight hours and she had been running nonstop. And after she had spent those 24 hours, torturing someone, she wanted nothing but to get sleep.<p>

Slipping the coat off of her shoulder, she slung it on the coat rack to the left side of the door and looked around. Jake had called her a little while ago and told her that the Council was still deliberating. At least he had gotten some sleep. So the she owed the cleaner state of her home to one or two people, and Rose knew exactly who they were, she only had to find them, "DJ! Marissa! Come out, come out wherever you are!"

Walking up the hall, she went to the first door on the left, her son's bedroom. Knocking quietly, she put her hands on her hips and waited. Rose knocked one more time, called DJ's name and then she lost her patience. Opening the door, she peeked into the room and she almost keeled over at the sight on DJ's bed. There, in the darkened room, DJ slept, with Marissa. Spying their clothes on the floor, she didn't know what to think. For a moment, she blanked out and stared dumbly at the girl and her son. Yes, she remembered that little thing that Jake had said in the hospital about Marissa and DJ having sex. Even then, it stumped her, she wasn't against her older children having sex, but she certainly wanted them to do it wisely and to use protection.

She'd talk to it about them later. Rose was just to fucking tired to wake them up.

Stepping out of the room, she shut the door and proceeded to walk back to her bedroom. Repeatedly shaking her head to get the image of her son and Marissa out, she flipped the lights on. Shutting the door behind her, she walked over to the bed and sat down. It took a lot out of her to continually press someone for information and it took a toll on her mind to see what she was doing to them. Yes, Bernard Waters deserved more then she had given to him, but he was still another living thing. Shaking her head, she looked down to her shirt and looked at the dried blood that had covered it.

Luckily, she did get all that she could out of that man, but that was only because she had wounded him so bad that he later died of his injuries. She was going to get in serious trouble by the President, but she had done her job and now she needed to get some sleep and Rose could give half a damn about Jennie Eggert. Leaning down, she unzipped her boots, left and right and tossed them haphazardly to the side. She was getting to old to do this full time. Way to old and she knew that she wasn't immortal or invulnerable to age. It scared her, yes, but it was the truth and she had to face it.

Depressed by her own thoughts, she stood up and pulled her shirt off of her body, walked over to the trash bin in the corner and threw the ruined shirt in it. She had lost so many of her better clothes that way. Standing there in the middle of the room in nothing but her bra and pants, Rose knew that she had worked herself so far to the point of exhaustion that she was having all sorts of depressing thoughts. One that had been recurring for the past two years was one in particular, retirement. Most people, Most Americans didn't retire at 47, but most people and definitively most American's hadn't lived the life that she had. She had been considering it for years now.

She'd have a pension, still have her insurance and that pension check alone would be able to allow her family to live comfortably. Not that they didn't already and not that they were lacking money, that wasn't the issue, it was the issue of her own health and her own well being. Walking over to her dresser, she spotted DJ's gun. At least he had done what she asked him to do. Picking it up by the barrel, she disassembled the gun into three pieces and opened the drawer directly under it to put the pieces in it. She didn't know if she would ban DJ from guns entirely, but after Alyssa was shot, he wouldn't be using them for a while. Oh yes, she definitely was going to retire after all of this was over.

Shucking her pants off in two quick motions, she tossed them near her boots and walked over to her closet to quickly pull one of her sleeping shirts off of a hanger and slip it over her body. Reaching back, she unclipped her bra and let it fall to the floor. She'd think it over when she woke up, but for now, she needed to rest. Walking back over to the bed, she piled into it and buried her face in the pillow. Twenty seconds later, she was out.

* * *

><p>Murmuring in her sleep when she felt a hand stroke her cheek, Alyssa Long-Sindacco's eyes stirred open and a smile spread across her face when she saw her husband Johnny standing over her with an equally big smile on his face. Stretching out, she grinned and reached up to run a hand through his hair, "Hey there, you know as my husband I would have expected to see you sooner, I was only shot yesterday and this is the first time-…"<p>

"Alyssa," Johnny held up a finger to her lips, "Please shut the hell up."

The Johnny leaned down and kissed her gently, but his gentle gesture turned into something fiery on Alyssa's part when she snaked her arms behind his neck and pulled her closer to him, "Apology accepted, now tell me what you've been doing today?"

"Watching your mother," Johnny said, his eyes widened slightly, the things that Rose had done to Bernard Waters were disturbing to say the least, "You know what, you give that woman a knife, gun and a rope and put her in a room with a suspect and it's disturbing."

"Did she kill whoever this was?" Alyssa asked, frankly she wasn't surprised at all.

Johnny nodded and raised his eyebrows in an admiring fashion, not that he admired what she did, but her reputation did proceed her in so many ways, "And then so, but she got the information that we needed out of him. They sent us home for us to get some sleep, since the kids are with Haley and you are here and I'm the only one who hasn't see you, I thought I'd do you a favor and come by. So, how are you doing Mrs. Sindacco?"

"Oh," Alyssa motioned to the caste that her entire leg was in, "You know, a bullet hole here, a bullet hole there, bing-bang-boom, I'm in the hospital, I'm going through surgery, I've got this horrendous caste on my leg and I'm going stir crazy, so I'm doing pretty well."

Sitting down in a chair next to his wife's bedside, he smiled up at her. He had spent the last day and a half listening to smart remarks from Rose. After being exposed to her that long, he could apprentice it just as well from his wife. Johnny could also appreciate Alyssa's slight censorship of her mouth when compared to that of her mothers, "You know I starting to wonder how your father could ever have gotten along with your father if all she did was sit next to him and make smart ass comments. Your mother is completely insane."

"I was told that she was a perfect goody two shoes before they found out about each other, their identities I mean," Alyssa shrugged, she couldn't really define it, but she could give the definition that both her father and her mother had given her, "When she was pregnant with me, she let her Huntsgirl personality blend with the personality of Rose, and according to both Daddy and Mom herself, the Rose Long that you see today is the result of it."

Johnny nodded, but he was already passing out. Alyssa watched with heavy amusement as Johnny leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. Not long after that, she noticed his breathing settle and his head drop down to his chest. Smirking, Alyssa closed her own eyes and laughed slightly, "Good night Johnny, you big butt headed lump."

* * *

><p>Politicians, you never know what you got with them. Jake had always held the Dragon Council to higher standards then mortal politicians, but when it came down to it they were all the same. While war was breaking out all around him and fairly close, he was waiting to see if his species would join in. There were some perks through, he had been allowed a room to sleep in, and that had cut a good majority of the time away, but he was wide awake now and waiting for their final decision.<p>

He was asking something big from them, to openly expose themselves to the world. It was ridiculous to think that they would do it under any other circumstances, but Jake knew that when he mentioned Nuclear Weapons, it had gotten their attention and had opened their minds to the possibility. They weren't foolish enough to think that a Nuclear Weapon wouldn't affect them, if the fall out didn't radiate the waters that came to the Isle of Draco, the explosion ultimately would. There was no magic in existence that could stop the power of a bomb like that. They would be absolutely stupid to not involve themselves in this somehow, "General Long," A guard announced, "They'll see you."

Jake had been pacing in the waiting room like a caged animal, and when the guard had told him those words, he was off like a bandit to the Council chamber for their decision.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I wasn't impressed by this, I had retyped this several times and I couldn't find the exact one that I liked, so I settled on this one. It's simple but it does indeed work. I left out a few things, but I'll get to them in the next chapter. Have any questions, feel free to PM me or I'll respond to your review and thank you for coming to read this. <strong>


	2. Chapter 1 – Conditions

**Chapter 1 – Conditions**

The future was always in motion and that was why Pro Tempore Sabrina Nebroshka couldn't quite bring herself to be completely behind exposing themselves to the Humans. She had only allowed this to be considered by the Dragon Council due to the one word that appeared several times in the papers that General Long had given them, Nuclear. Having great knowledge about the Diamond of Draco she knew that a bombardment from a Nuclear Weapon would obliterate them. And if it didn't do that, it would destroy them ecologically. Her hands were tied and that's why she was leaning towards conquering with General Long. She only needed to have a few of her conditions met, "I call for a final vote on the motion to enter the war under our agreed conditions to be presented."

She looked around at the hands of the councilors and she was surprised, all of them agreed. But then she rationalized it in her mind by the fact that their interests were now being threatened and they weren't stupid enough not to see that. Nodding, she waved to the guards to let General Long in, "It is agreed to then, we will begin our movements as soon as our conditions are agreed to by the party that requests our assistance. The order is hereby given to the Grand General of the Military to being marshaling soldiers and to await our instructions. The conditions of the agreement will now be read to the petitioner."

Sabrina looked up into the awaiting eyes of Jake and cleared her throat, "The motion to enter this brewing war between the United States of America and the People's Republic of China is agreed to General Long, under two conditions, you'll have to go back to your President and report them to her for agreement."

Jake nodded, he didn't know how he was going to do that, but he'd figure something out, "Very well, what are the conditions Madam Pro Tempore?"

"First, the Isle of Draco and the subjects of the Dragon State are to be left in anonymity after this war," She scowled slightly, looking down to the parchment of the terms that the entire council had agreed upon, "Second, we demand a meeting with your President to discuss her intentions with us after this war is over."

He didn't have a choice and somehow they must have known that contacting the President of the United States would have been tough, almost impossible. Jake would show them, he would get that meeting with the President, "Where do you wish to meet her at? There are only a few places as to where it can be done."

"Here," She said, "Once these are agreed to, we will formally declare War on the People's Republic of China, go now General, report this to your President."

Jake nodded and spun on his heel to leave, he had to call Rose and make it quick.

* * *

><p>DJ couldn't believe that he had done that with her again, after it happened the first time, Marissa and himself had gone steady for a few months. Then when it became to pressurizing, they had broken it off. What did this mean for them? Were they going to get back together? Or would he feel guilty for taking advantage of her in her weak moment? DJ didn't know, but he would have to wait until she woke up to ask. Sitting at the kitchen table, he sipped his glass of Orange Juice and ran his hand through his hair. At least no one was home to see that, that much was comforting.<p>

"Hey there," His mother said from the Kitchen Entrance, DJ turned to take in the sight of his mother in her robe, "You look like you had a wild night."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, she smiled and walked into the kitchen to get herself some coffee from the maker. Opening one of the top cabinets, she grabbed a coffee mug and set out to pour her a glass. Rose would make him admit it to her, not the other way around, "Oh, a few hours, they let us out of work to get some rest. I just spent the last day torturing the hell out of someone and let's just say that's a little draining."

"Who was it?" DJ asked, trying to stay away from the subject of him.

"Bernard Waters," Rose sighed and walked around to the other side of the table to sit across from DJ and take a sip of the coffee, "It turns out that the Chinese have been behind all that's happened today, the President reconstituted Congress and got a declaration of war, its wartime again."

Drinking out of his own glass, his eyebrows rose and he put on his best poker face, he was good at that face, he did learn from the best, the woman who was sitting across from him, "So that means late nights?"

"For the time being," Rose nodded, and then a grin came across her face as she eyed his exposed neck. He cursed inwardly, she had probably spied the marks that Marissa had made when she was kissing his neck, "Gee, DJ, do you want to go to the hospital, this are nasty looking bug bites…"

DJ blushed and he inwardly cursed again, "Eh…no, they'll go away."

"Oh," Rose said, this was too funny for her, she got up and pulled her chair in and began to walk out of the kitchen, "I think I'll go look at your bed to see if you've got bedbugs or something, it won't be good for-…"

DJ stood up from his chair, "Mom! Wait don't go in my room!"

"Why shouldn't I, is there something I need to know?" She asked coyly.

DJ scratched the back his head and before he blushed, he looked down at the kitchen table, "Uh, Yeah, Marissa's taking a nap and she's really tired."

"Oh? Is she taking a nap without her clothes on?" Rose smiled and walked back to her chair and quickly sat down at it and took a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah," DJ quietly admitted.

"You had sex with her again didn't you?" Rose pressed the issue, she wasn't mad. She just wanted to make sure that he was doing it safely.

She hid a smirk behind her coffee cup when she heard her son gasp and gasp loudly, "Again? What do you mean by _again_ Mom? Are you impl-…"

"DJ, you're becoming hysterical, I know that you had sex with her when you went out with her on her Prom Night," Rose reassured him with a rather neutral look, "It's okay, I hate it, because it means that you're growing up, but it's natural and you're not to young. Just don't do it in my home ever again, and make sure that you use a condom every time."

He blew out a sigh, "Yeah Mom, Dad told me the same thing."

"I bet," Rose said leaning back in her chair and holding the cup with both hands, "Now let me tell you a little story, imagine, Isle of Draco, 15 Years Ago. You're father and I had just gotten married, I find out that I'm pregnant with you, and we receive a letter from your sister and her boyfriend who are at the Dragon Southern Fortress, care to take a guess what the letter said and how we reacted to the news?"

"No," DJ simply said.

Rose shot him a pointed smirk, "Well, Alyssa told me in a letter that she is indeed pregnant with Johnny's child, after her very first time having sex, neither of them used protection. You're father and I go off the deep end and when we see them, we lay into Johnny and beat the hell out of him."

"Well he got your daughter Pregnant, not shocking," He responded smoothly and Rose laughed at his reaction it was ironic to her, somehow.

"You can understand why we want to drive home the point of USE A CONDOM! Understand, I want you to have kids one day, but not anytime soon," Rose reached forward to grasp his hand, "Do you love her DJ?"

"Yes," He admitted, and he wondered where that came from.

Rose smiled, "Then it's only logical to assume that it's going to happen, so you can have sex, I don't have an issue with that, all you have to do is use protection and don't make me a Grandmother again, I really don't like it."

"Are you saying you hate Alyssa's kids?" DJ joked half heartedly.

"No," Rose laughed, "I love them, I love my Grandkids, but I think Alyssa and Johnny started having them too early. I can't go back and do away with their mistakes or their misjudgments, but I can sure as hell make sure that you don't have any until you're ready, I'm still your Mother DJ."

He smiled, "Ok, I promise it won't happen unless I have protection."

"Good," Rose grinned and turned back to the counter as one of her two cell phones rang, getting up, she walked over to it and opened it up. Looking at the ID, it was Jake, smiling she held it to her ear, "Good news?"

"Somewhat," He answered back, "The Dragon Council has agreed to enter this war on the side of the US. But under two conditions, they're heavy."

She had smiled at the first half of his sentence, but when he mentioned the word conditions, she sighed and ran her hand through her messy blonde hair. The Dragon Council typically didn't make things easy and she knew it wouldn't be different in this situation. Even in the face of a Nuclear War with China, "Well, what are they and what do I need to do honey?"

"Ah, first they want to be left alone after the war," Jake recited first.

Rose nodded, "I can pretty much assure you that'll be done."

"And second, they want to meet with the President," He added lastly.

Rose sighed, "Shit."


	3. Chapter 2 – Executive Orders

**Chapter 2 – Executive Orders **

She had only a few moments to prepare herself for what was about to happen, she was get on Marine One and it would take her to Richmond Virginia to the newly reconstituted congress that was meeting in the State Capitol Building. Jennie would be addressing the Joint Session and the speech would be broadcasted all over the world. If her address to the nation that announced the War on China was important, this was far more important. She needed to show to the world that the United States of America had managed to get back up on its feet, "Madam President …"

Jennie turned around to her Chief of Staff and blew out an irritated sigh as she struggled to tie her hair back into a ponytail, "This better be important?"

"It is," Carmen said, handing her phone to the President, "It's Director Gordon, an operation that the CIA launched has expanded and it needs your attention."

Sighing, she turned and grabbed the phone, "Gordon, I'm due to be on Marine one in 10 Minutes, this had better be _very_ important."

"Madam President, do you remember that file I gave you a few hours ago that was on Agent Rose Long and her family?" He asked quietly, as if he was trying to keep a secret.

Waving Carmen out of the room, Jennie turned back to the mirror and began to fiddle with her hair with one hand, "Yeah, it was strange but I understand the lose concept of it, why?"

"Well, against my orders, my deputy Allen Mansfield ordered Agent Long to appeal to the species of her husband and their leadership, the Dragon Council, to enter the war with the Chinese on our side," Gordon sighed, he sounded as if he himself wasn't believing the things he was saying, but it was real every word, "About twenty minutes ago they agreed to do it, under only two conditions."

She didn't have time for this, not as of that moment anyway, she would meet with them if that was what it took, but they would need to wait. Mythical, elusive species or not, she had her own country and her own people to worry about. And the American Image on the world stage, "Alright, while I do agree with your deputy to enter those _beings_ into the war, these conditions need to be small and they can't visibly attract the attention of the world. Ok, so as to those conditions, I need to hear them now while I'm still alone. You've got three minutes Gordon, do it fast."

"The first condition is one that I think we can make, they want complete and total anonymity after this war, no press, no photos, no acknowledgement in any official state papers, they want it as if they weren't even there," Gordon said as if he was reading the condition from a paper, "Madam President, I'm prepared to choke the media into submission and hide this from them if you want."

Jennie sighed, if this had been a week ago, she wouldn't have dreamed of muzzling the press or stifling freedom of the Press. But she couldn't afford to exercise all the powers of the constitution at that moment in time. Besides, with those Dragon's as allies, they'd have a massive advantage, "Do what you have to do on that Director, the White House knew nothing about it. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am," He affirmed, "The second condition is a little tougher, they want to meet with you Madam President, on their Island."

She was in the process of slipping on her shoes when she heard that, and she laughed, she laughed hardily, "With all due respect to this council, I've got a busy schedule to keep up with here."

"I know," Gordon responded, "That's why I said that this would be tough to meet, but they say that they've got direct transportation to their island, you'll be gone for two hours at most."

Recovering from her slight shock, Jennie smiled and slipped into her high heels, "Are you telling me that they can get me to a hidden island of the Chinese Sea and back here within two hours?"

"You did read that file didn't you ma'am, the details that Agent Long gave us?" He asked with a slight tone of humor.

"Yeah," Jennie said, she didn't know why she was smiling, perhaps because this development was so strange that she thought she was hallucinating. Or maybe she was under so much stress that she was finally heading full speed towards a mental break. "You know what you tell Agent Long that I'll be able to clear a few hours tonight. I'll fly up to New York and do whatever magical shit that they have to do to get me to talk with these Dragon People. If they've got a place that they need to set up this magical portal thing, have it locked down tightly, I can't risk exposing my involvement."

"Alright," He said, "I'll speak to Agent Long myself, and I'll tell her to be expecting you tonight, good luck with your speech Madam President."

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, lucky bastard," Jennie laughed and hung up her phone.

If the last day wasn't strange and surreal enough for her, with this new development it just got weirder.

* * *

><p>She had been home for less than a day.<p>

But she had already ten steps closer to Rebecca and Daniel then she would have been if she was still stuck in that airport three thousand miles away from them. She had already picked up her car from the airport parking garage and she had already picked up a few things from her storage unit that would help her. A variety of guns, hundreds of spools and clips of ammunition, dozens of knives, bombs and a retractable Huntstaff, she was indeed ready for the hunt. However she now only needed a place to start out. That's why she was now striding down the hall to the Long Apartment and to where she assumed Rose would be.

At the door he knocked loudly and she heard a female voice reply. She didn't care who was in there, she only needed to find Rose. "Who is it?"

"It's Erin, can I come in?" She asked

"Yeah," Rose responded, "We're in the kitchen."

Turning the door knob, she walked into the apartment and shut the door behind her. Immediately she caught the ever so slight stench of gun powder and blood. She understood why when she saw the state of the Long Family's living room. The holes in the wall, the blood that was surrounding those holes, the gun shots holes all over the apartment, something big had gone down. Probably with that hitman that Rebecca had hired, "Let me guess, Jake skinned him alive?"

"And then so," Rose said waving her into the kitchen, "How are you?"

Erin shrugged, "I could be better, where's DJ and Marissa?"

"Taking a little nap together," Rose smirked and took a sip of her coffee.

Erin's eyes widened, "They didn't!"

"Oh yes they did, twice now, the first time was on Marissa's Prom night, they did it here a little while ago while I was at work," Rose took another sip, "Speaking of which, I just got off the phone with the Director of the CIA himself I have some instructions that I need to give Jake."

Nodding, Erin crossed her legs, "I need your help."

"With Rebecca and Daniel I assume?" Rose asked nonchalantly.

Erin nodded, "I need a lead, any lead."

"What are you going to do to them?" Rose asked, like she didn't know, but she was curious, she still had a bone to pick with Rebecca about the events of a few hours ago. But she'd let Erin have her fun for them both.

"I'm gonna skin them alive for what they did to my mother," She said.

"And have you seen your Mom?" Rose asked.

Erin looked down, it was almost as if she couldn't meet Rose's eyes and expose the emotions that were threatening to burst out, "No, and I'm not going to for a while. I just can't-…I can't face her if she's in the state that she's in. Just, please give me anything that I can work with to find them."

"We got a hit on our APB that we released Nation Wide outside of Philadelphia," Rose said, tapping her fingers against the side of the coffee mug, "She and Daniel pulled a gun on an ER room attendant and a doctor and forced them to sew up her hand. The direction that they went in corresponds with a motel that the clerk reported them at."

She smiled, "Care to give me the address?"

Rose nodded, "With pleasure."

* * *

><p>The thirty minute helicopter ride wasn't that bad, but Jennie could see the state of things in her country when she had to be escorted by F-16 Fighter Jets from the capitol. So far she had stabilized everything, martial law was in effect, and businesses were allowed to open but only for a select period of time. However that was the only thing that was allowed to return to normal. Schools were still closed, The Stock Market still was closed and when it did reopen, the stock market computers were moved to an undisclosed location. And the Military and the National Guard was still out on the streets in force, especially around Infrastructure Hubs.<p>

The most noticeable thing of Marital Law would be the F-16's over all Nuclear Power Plants and State Capitols. The People would have to realize that these steps were necessary to sustain security and she would keep them in place until it was judged that Terrorists or the Chinese couldn't cause any more trouble. But she had to get that out of her mind.

She was about to addresses a tightly secured, worldwide televised joint session of Congress and she needed to be the leader that everyone needed and the world needed to see. Standing outside the main doors that led into the slightly smaller room, she heard the interim Sergeant at Arms announce her, "Madam Speaker, the President of the United States."

The doors opened and in she walked, if this were the US Capitol Building, she would have been smiling and shaking hands. But the somber mood of the Congress dictated otherwise. When she walked in, every single member of Congress stood for her, they all clapped, some cheered, and some even saluted her. Per Protocol, she would walk to the rostrum or the stand at where she would speak at, be flanked by the Vice President and the Speaker and she would address from there. But the Virginia State Capitol was a hell of a lot smaller and things would be more compact.

The interim Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate awaited her up there in a somber mood that that much wasn't different. Her Teleprompters were humming and there was a deep throbbing sensation from the newly rejuvenated congress. Arriving at the second stand on the rostrum, she stood in the exact center of the stand and took in the clapping for a moment. Until the Speaker banged the gavel onto the desk, "Members of Congress, it is my high honor and distinct privilege to introduce you to the President of the United States."

A cheer went up and she smiled in gratitude at that, at least she was mildly accepted by Congress as the legitimate President. She paled at her inward words, she wasn't legitimate. Wayne Garret was the legitimate President. She was there because of circumstance, "Thank you, Madam Speaker, Mr. Pro Tempore, Members of the Congress, My Fellow Americans, My Fellow World Citizens, I am truly thankful to be here."

"Today," She began, taking a rather dramatic pause, "The world stopped, from Rome, to Paris, to London and Moscow, everything simply stopped."

"Poignant gestures from the Parliaments of the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, Russia and from hundreds of different countries have shown us that the world has truly paid attention to what transpired. They observed a moment of silence for our fallen President and the members of our fallen Congress," Jennie sighed and began to look from side to side at the expressions of them, "Until now everything had been largely diplomatic, but today the response was personal, and I want to share with you some of the things that I absorbed from watching the media."

She swallowed the lump in her throat when the tears began to well in her eyes from the next few passages, "The Leader of the European Union said this: In the Darkest Days of History, America has stood by us, today, we stand by America. The Pope, issued this from the Vatican: This attack was not only an affront on the United States but on all peace loving humans."

At that, the Congress stood up and applauded, it went on for a few more seconds and then it died down, "But the final word of the day, might have been uttered by a woman sitting in a Paris Café, _Today_, she said, _We are all Americans_-…"

She was interrupted again, and this time tears ran freely down her face, it was a part of that wave of patriotism that came after National Tragedies such as this one. But the difference between those and this one was the statements that were coming in from all over the world. She was in her element, and when she was finished, she truly believed that she had cemented herself as the Chief Executive of the United States and she had delivered a grateful but stern speech.

Now she could focus on this Dragon deal…

And what it would ultimately cost her in the end…


	4. Chapter 3 – The Calm Before The Storm

**Chapter 3 – The Calm Before The Storm **

* * *

><p>Pulling her hair back into a tight bun, she sat on the edge of her bed and tightly zipped up the boots that she had painstakingly worn for the past day and a half. She didn't want to go back to work, but she had too. She had received a text from Terry Newman that told her that the Director had called the office and told her that the President would be speaking to her directly tonight regarding the Dragon Council and that she needed to be in there for that moment and for her orders. Thank goodness that she got some sleep.<p>

"DJ, Marissa, I'm headed off," She announced, marching down the hallway.

Marissa had emerged from DJ's bedroom shortly after Erin had left, they shared awkward glances, but Rose simply smiled and retained her dignity and tried to ignore the fact that the girl had pretty much taken her little boy's innocence. When she arrived back into the living room, she cleared her throat and walked to the front of the couch to where Marissa and DJ were watching television. It seemed by the look of the program, it was live coverage of the US and now Japan aided bombardment of Hong Kong. It took her a moment to take her eyes off of the TV Screen before turning back to the kids with a smile, "Look kids, I have a meeting with the President in a few hours and I need to get going, so let's lay down a few ground rules."

DJ rolled his eyes as his mother continued with a sweetly sarcastic tone, "I don't want any nookie going down in this house that isn't between your father and I. If you want to have sex, do it somewhere else, I don't care where. Second, if anything happens, you use that shotgun, and make sure that the intruder is the only one that you shoot. Is that understood kids?"

"Yes Mom," DJ nodded and motioned to the children, "And I've been meaning to ask you, is this CIA going to get involved in China immediately?"

Rose simply smiled, "Oh, you can bet your ass on that, the Dragons too."

"What?" DJ and Marissa asked loudly at the very same time.

Before spinning on her heel, she nodded at them, "Yeah, oh and by the way, if your Dad calls, tell him to call me on the cell phone, I need to talk to him."

Not bothering to say anything else to them, she proceeded to grab her gun off of the kitchen counter and make her way to the apartment door. Opening the door up, she quickly shut it behind her and strode down the hall of the apartment. She wondered what the hell was going to happen now, after the Dragon's entered the war, the US would have an extreme tactical advantage as well as the fear factor that would be instilled inside the Chinese Army. But her main thoughts were simple, what would the CIA as well as her involvement be in dealing with the Chinese.

In the past, the CIA, in accordance with the US Navy SEALS would swoop in and deal with the enemies in the middle of the night. But this was completely different. They were facing a situation in which nearly two dozen different countries were waging war on a single entity. She was sure that the combined intelligence agencies would conspire to take out the leadership, but the CIA would lead and knowing what the leadership of the organization thought of her, she'd probably lead it. It was her job, and she needed to fulfill the oath.

* * *

><p>"This is the current status of knowledge of these Dragon's among our Government, of all branches," CIA Director Gordon said, they were now on board Air Force One and in the privacy of the President's Office, "A majority of the average and higher level agents know of this situation, they've all signed privacy clauses under penalty of twenty years in a Federal Prison to keep it a secret. They can be trusted for sure, the Joint Chiefs were made aware of it when we hired on Agent Long. The higher levels of the NSA, FBI and Homeland know about it and that is it besides you and me, Madam President."<p>

She nodded and looked out at the open window, at the F16 Fighter Jets that were escorting her, for the time being, wherever she went in an airplane, F16's would be flanking her, "What is your plan to cover this thing up?"

"We've given the press a cover story about their limited ability to cover the battles," He said, reading the briefings that he was receiving from his office and his operatives that were all over the country and the world at that point, acting out his orders, "We said that it would be too dangerous and it would present and unnecessary risk to them. And we're keeping a close eye on the groups that distribute leaked information. We're prepared to jump on them."

She didn't like stifling freedom of speech, but this was a time when certain freedoms were done away with, "What if this is leaked from the front line?"

"We're going to be detaining every single news journalist that comes from the battle front, we will make sure that they don't even get a photograph back from the frontline," He nodded his head, "We'll give them cavity searches if it comes to that, we will do everything we can to keep this hidden."

Jennie nodded, the CIA was certainly good at that, and just about when she was going to respond a knock came from the office door, she turned and looked at the window. It was Carmen, she nodded, "Come in Carmen."

She had a phone in her hand when she walked in and she looked absolutely shocked. Her mouth was hanging open, and she looked completely and totally pale, "Madam-…Madam President…it's the State Department, they just received a call from the office of Zhu De. He wants to speak with you…"

Her mouth opened slightly and then she turned to Director Gordon who nodded slightly before pulling out his own cell phone and dialing in the direct number to the offices in Langley, "This is Director Gordon, I need a tap on the Chief of Staff's mobile unit, and you can find it on board Air Force One."

"Authorization code, we are at a high level situation," The attendant retorted.

"Gordon-Omega-Delta-Niner-Niner, initiate it now!" He shouted in the phone.

There was a fizzing noise on the receiver and he knew that he was being transferred to the taps unit, and then the supervisors voice rang out on the phone, "What phone is it Director Gordon?"

"Carmen Hollingsworth's Cell Phone, a phone call is being routed through from State and I need it monitored," he spoke quickly into the phone.

"Right now it," A twenty seconds passed before he came back, "It's on."

"Alright," He shut his phone and nodded to the President.

She sighed one last time and motioned for the phone, Carmen handed the phone over to her quietly. Bringing it to her ear, she scowled, "_I'm here_."

"_Hold one moment for the Chairman," _A secretary said.

Tapping her fingers against the desk, she looked at the Director of the CIA and scowled, "_Madam President, it is a pleasure to finally speak to you." _

"_I would still be Madam Secretary if it were not for your actions Mister Chairman," _She sneered, clenching her fists, _"You of course know that the wolves are at the door, you pissed off Russia too which is a big mistake, you lost the one country that wouldn't have attacked you. I offered a chance to avoid this war and you didn't take it. Are you regretting that decision?" _

Chairman Zhu laughed wearily, _"I will admit that we've been overwhelmed, but I have a few things that will tip the scales in my favor, I can assure you." _

"_Oh, you mean your Nuclear Weapons?" _President Eggert hissed again.

"_That's exactly what I mean Madam President," _He seemed almost smug.

"_I've giving you one last chance to surrender, if you do that, I can promise you that I'll exert enough Political Influence to get everyone off of your back, your economy is decimated. We and the Russians are quickly closing in on Beijing and I have some surprises of my own that are most certainly not Nukes. I suggest you take this chance Chairman Zhu," _She added quietly.

"_I'll have to decline and my apologies for the death that will be caused when I unleash the Nuclear Arsenal," _He taunted her, "_You should know that I deposed President Hu a few hours ago, I am now the head of this Government. I hold the cards, and I am the brain of the People's Republic." _

"_Good," _She smiled, "_Well then, as the Leader of the People's Republic, you should know this and take this into account when you launch that Nuclear Missile at my country. It will hurt us, but it will crush you, goodbye." _

And then she hung up and she was not mentally prepared for the future.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: Again this is short, but you'll see why in the next Chapter. <strong>

**By the way, here is a big hurrah for the US Navy SEALS for taking out Osama Bin Laden and for the CIA tracking the Son of a Bitch down! You got your Mojo back guys! And to those people who thought that the dancing in the streets was barbaric of the American Public, while in any other circumstance, yes it would be. For this man, no it wasn't I hope he rots in hell and I am very, very happy that he is dead! **


	5. Chapter 4 – The Biggest Dog in the Yard

**Chapter 4 – The Biggest Dog in the Yard**

* * *

><p>There was an old saying where Jennie was from, rattle the cage of the biggest dog in the yard and expect to get bitten. However, in this case she liked to elude it to the power of her country and the waning power of the Chinese Government. For the past two decades, people had said that China would quickly overtake the US in terms of pretty much everything. But any economist knew that if your economy expands at a slower rate than that of your population, you'd fall down. China wouldn't become the superpower, it was quite simply too big. She'd also give them a big shove to topple them.<p>

"Director Gordon, Madam President," Her Chief of Staff said to them, hanging up her cell phone, "The CIA Escort has arrived, they're ready."

Jennie nodded and signaled for the attendant to open the plane door, when the bright afternoon light hit her eyes, she strode down the large steps that were brought up to Air Force One. She was surprised to find a crowd cheering her arrival. Apparently Secret Service had allowed people to see it, as well as the Media to film it. They held American Flags, held sings and chanted patriotic slogans. Entirely grateful for their spirit, she smiled and waved at them in that enormous Political Stage Personality that she had been mastering and cultivating for decades, "They love you a lot Jennie."

Turning back to wink at the CIA Director, she stepped onto the tarmac and arrived at the motorcade that would take her directly from JFK Airport to the Federal Building. Smiling at the CIA Agent that shook her hand, Jennie couldn't believe how good looking the guy was, but she had other things on her mind, "Jennie Eggert, President of the United States, and you are?"

"Special Agent Terry Newman," He smiled warmly at her and opened the back door of the car and helped her in. "I'll be your escort this fine day."

She nodded and climbed back into the car, Terry turned back to the Director and offered him a handshake, to which he took, "Mister Director, Agent Long is waiting at the Federal Building and is being debriefed on her assignment."

"Good, she got it then?" Gordon asked with a sly smile.

Terry nodded, "And she wasn't happy about that."

* * *

><p>"Agent Long, Agent Sindacco," Allen said laying two folders in front of them, they were in the main conference room and from the several projection screens that were around the head wall of the room, it wasn't just going to be them there, "You two need to know that you'll be escorting President Eggert to this Council of the Dragons. The protection of the President is your one and only priority, you were assigned because you know this place and you know how to deal with these Dragons. Is that understood between you two?"<p>

Rose nodded, and Johnny raked his hand through his hair, "I thought you guys only wanted me for Bernard Waters, he's dead, and why am I here still?"

Allen smiled, "We want you full time, and you'll be the only Agent in the history of your organization who didn't have to go through Basic Training. It's yours if you want it, of course Rose has recommended you in recent the past."

He turned and smirked to his mother in-law, "Oh have you know?"

"Tell anyone and you will be sleeping with one eye open," She glared at him.

Johnny smiled and turned back to Allen, "You want me full time?"

"Of course, if you'll open the folder you'll see the order from the Director immediately instating you to Trainee Level Rank with full benefits, despite the fact that you have the skills of someone way above your rank, such as Rose here," Allen smiled and winked at Rose, "As a Trainee, Rose here will be your trainer and supervisor. Until such time that she gives me the ok to promote."

Rose tucked her hand into her chin and looked to Johnny with something of a coy grin, "If you thought your father was a cruel Master, honey you just wait."

"Is that threat Huntsgirl?" Johnny shot back with a grin.

"You bet your ass," She raised her eyebrows with that cocky smirk.

Johnny tuned back, "I formally accept your offer for a job Director Allen."

Allen nodded and motioned to them both, "Now that it's settled, Agent Sindacco, you turn to page two, Rose you open yours up. This is a high level assignment. It involves the Israeli Mossad, British MI5, the BfV German Office and the Russian FIS. It is a joint mission. Your teammates will be the best Agents from these offices. We all formulated it a few hours ago."

"What about the French?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.

"They're not touching this situation," He said with a bit of a smirk, "You know how _they_ are, but regardless we've got enough fire power to get this done."

Nodding, Allen reached for the remote and pressed the power button on project, and while it was powering up, he reached for the phone that was sitting on the desk, "Cassie, tell them that we're ready for the briefing."

"Right away Director Mansfield," Cassie, his secretary said. When he turned, he was met by the five faces of the international intelligence officers. All but the MI5 Agent were men. Personally, Allen couldn't stop looking at the British Counterintelligence Officer, she was very pretty. Blonde hair and blue eyes, she looked like that dignified classic woman, only exceptionally gorgeous.

Turning back to Rose and Johnny, he smiled, "CIA Agents Long and Sindacco meet Mossad Agent Baer, MI5 Agent Luker, BfV Agent Burkhart and FIS Agent Gulin. They'll be meeting you onboard the USS Ronald Reagan when the mission commences. It's simple. You'll be dropped off into the Communist Party of China's High Command. You take out everyone that isn't a janitor or a secretary. Party Members only, got that."

"What about Zhu De?" MI5 Agent Luker said quietly.

"He is to be killed on sight, no surrender, this man has not only threatened the economic security of all our countries, but the Nukes as well," He said quietly, looking down at the Mission Strategy that was taken from the joint meeting from all of these International Intelligence Heads, "Here's the drop off procedure, you'll be let down on the roof of the Headquarters, you'll split up into two teams each and go through the floors. If Zhu De isn't there, you'll meet back up at the roof and get back on the Black Hawks to the-…"

Johnny's raised his hand. Allen sighed and looked at him, "Yes Sindacco?"

"You're not sure about this?" He asked. He was terribly puzzled from there.

"We cannot be entirely sure," Allen said, "It's a risk that we'll have to take, and with you all on a team, you're worth ten thousand soldiers with all of your combined skills. Besides, there is a contingency plan if he is not there."

The British Agent spoke up this time, "I conquer with Agent Sindacco, Assistant Director Mansfield, what is the US contingency plan in that event?"

"Three Hundred F16's will begin a bombing campaign against all known targets in Beijing that the combined joint intelligence from our Governments has made known," He said, "You'll all be lifted out before it begins, but you should know that this bombing campaign is being considered to happen anyway by our Joint Chiefs of Staff after you've all killed Zhu De anyway."

There was a knock at the door, Allen looked at it and scowled, "Go away."

Then the door opened and then before he could see who it was, he put his hands on his hips and scowled, "You're going regret it for interrupting-…"

"Really?" Director Gordon said, smiling wryly.

Allen's eyes widened and Rose had to hide her smirk but she let her mocking teasing tone seep through her hand, "_Somebody's gonna get it_."

"Shut up," Allen narrowed his eyes and turned back to his Director with a sheepish grin, "I'm sorry Gordon. I wasn't expecting you here this soon."

"I know, I see you're briefing our team," He said, smiling at Rose, Johnny and the members of the international team, "I expect you all to do a good job."

"Sir," MI5 Agent Luker asked, "What about the F16 Bombing Raid on Beijing?"

Director Gordon nodded and motioned with his hand to the figure that was standing behind him, "I think this person can answer your question Luker."

He stepped out of the way and the President of the United States, Jennie Eggert walked into the room. She wore a smile on her face and she looked as she owned the room, "The Joint Chiefs is currently debating that with the leaders of our Armed Forces. I'm simply here to oversee a few things, you'll have to forgive us, I need to go over a few things with these Agent's here."

* * *

><p>"<em>The guard detail will be me and Johnny, by the way, did I mention that Allen promoted him to a full time Agent," <em>Rose smiled as she watched the President receive a red marked folder from Director Gordon. If she knew the plan, those were the sights that they would want the Dragons to deal with, "_And Jake, a team is being assembled from all over the world, the English, the Germans, the Russians and the Israelis. We're going to be dropped off in Beijing." _

"_What do you mean by 'we'? As in you are going to be there?" _He asked.

"_And Johnny as well we're going to be dropped off in Blackhawks on the roof of the Party Headquarters, we're going to have to kill the President of the China. If he's not there, then we're going to level Beijing with about three hundred F16's and I just want you to know-…" _Rose let it hang in the air.

"_Do you think it's a suicide mission?" _Jake asked. He didn't want to even…

"_No, I don't think so, but it is risky, the city is virtually empty, the Russians are keeping them busy," _Rose said quietly, "_But we're talking about the Communist Party Headquarters, it is risky. But we have some of the best Agents in the world on this. It is most definitely not a suicide mission." _

Rose smiled when she heard her Husband laugh, _"Well you need to do what you do best baby, kick some ass. I'll see you in a few, by the way the portal should be there in about fifty seconds. I can't wait to see you again Rose." _

Looking back at the clear space that the portal would appear, she smiled once more, "_Alright Dragon Boy, I'll see you in a little while_."

Then she hung up the phone and put it on her waist holster, and turned back to the party. Looking at her watch, she nodded to Johnny and then cleared her throat. '_Five…Four…Three…Two…One…_' she counted inwardly, and then it happened, and then a crackling came from mid air. Smirking at the startled reactions of her co-workers, she crossed her arms over her chest and looked over to Johnny, "You take the left, I'll take the right, she needs protection."

Johnny nodded and when they both looked back, the swirling purple mass had appeared, walking forward and to the right of the President, she motioned to the shocked Chief Executive, "Madam President, if you'll just follow me."


	6. Chapter 5 – Goals

**Chapter 5 – Goals **

Nina Palmer had just experienced the most frightening day of her life and she was just trying to get over it. If she could quit, she would have, but she knew that she wouldn't find anything as good as an ER attendant. She didn't need to have a college degree and it was a good paying job. Nina couldn't afford to quit, even after she was held up a gun point and was told to provide free care. The Police told her that it was perhaps the only time that they had heard of something like that and she hoped that it wouldn't happened again, "Excuse me, but are you Nina Palmer, from last night's-…?"

She looked up at the woman who had come to her counter. The woman had slightly graying, night black hair and perhaps the greenest eyes that she had ever seen. For all intents and purposes, the woman looked friendly and she wore a winning smile, but she got a bad feeling from her. However, Nina had no other reason to be distrustful of her, so she nodded, "From the hold up from last night, yes I am. Are you from the press? I had an interview this morning from the local paper and news channel, I'd be happy to do one."

"Yes," Erin Hutchinson smiled brightly and withdrew a tape recorder from her pocket, she was happy that the girl bought it. That meant that she didn't have to do anything to sell it, "I'm from the Philadelphia Press, I'm doing in interview about last night's incident here. I just got through talking with Doctor Walker at his home and I was wondering if could talk with you?"

Nina nodded, "I can't take very long, but yeah can say something."

"Can you describe the woman who pulled the gun?" Erin asked innocently.

The girl nodded and sighed as the tape recorder started, "She had red hair, she was tall, she was certainly leggy, had a body on her. Her land was set with cloth, but you could tell that it was bleeding. All she wanted was a Doctor to help her with her hand. He did it and then she left, quickly."

"Did she have someone with her?" Erin asked.

Nina nodded and drummed her fingers against the panel of the desk itself, she was nervous about even revisiting it, "Yeah, tall, he had dark hair, he was good looking, broad shoulders, rather pointy chin. He looked rather, disappointed and sad. But he was here. He almost looked as if he didn't…"

Erin waved her off with a smile, although it was a completely false smile, Daniel made her blood boil. She knew exactly how this was going to end, with her hands around his neck. But there was a bullet saved for Rebecca, none of the others could kill them, but she wasn't like the others. She carried a Hunter's Mentality throughout her life, since she could talk, Rose's was still there a very strong, but it had merged with a CIA Agent and a Cop, her mother had gotten Rebecca to break but she was blindsided, so it was up to her, "Thank you all Ms. Palmer, and one more question, what direction did you see them leave in?"

"East," Nina responded, she was puzzled by the reporters actions.

Erin nodded once more, "Thank you."

When she turned to leave, a smile came over her face. That corresponded with the Hotel address that Rose had given her and when she was driving in, she saw it. Now all she had to do was sit and wait for the right time.

* * *

><p>Rose watched with unbridled humor as the <em>President of the United States<em> stumbled out of the portal with as much grace as a drunken man. It was terribly amusing to watch, but she had to keep her cool about this and do her job. It was to protect the President while she was on this island and with the Dragon Council. No one could touch her, or even look at her in a strange way or Rose and Johnny had orders to immobilize and even kill the assailant or the suspicious person. These protections were by no means new, but POTUS had never had a CIA escort of bodyguards before this.

The Secret Service was stringent about their protection, back in the 1980's, the President at the time was visiting a small town and a bunch of boys thought that it would be funny to point a pistol at the President as he walked down the street. It was a water pistol of course, but with the Secret Service spotted it, they pointed their Uzi _Machine Guns_ at the kid, that's how far it went, and she'd go further. If any of the Dragon Guards were a threat to her commander and chief, she'd beat their ass.

"Madam President," Rose said, motioning Johnny to cover President Eggert's left, "Welcome to the Isle of Draco, and if you'll look off the direct coast, you'll see the _USS John C. Stennis_. They can't see us of course. That's how close we are to the Chinese Coast, a little perspective."

She was stunned, stunned by the close proximity to the front line, stunned by the tropical environment that she was now in and the place itself just seem magical all together, "How far are we from Hong Kong, exactly?"

"118 rough miles," Rose answered, lowering her sunglasses and motioning the President up the trail. She didn't know why they had put the portal outside of the Palace and onto the trail outside, but they had.

Hearing a rustling up ahead, more footsteps of the trail, she made a hand gesture to Johnny and they both stepped in front of the President with their guns in the air. She was prepared to kill. Don't get her wrong, she knew that these creatures weren't evil, in fact there had only been two in the past, but the security of the President was paramount above all else in this mission, "Come out, or I'll put a cap in your crown, do it now?"

"Geeze," Her husband's shocked voice said as he emerged from the other side of the bush with his hands up, "Are you really trying to kill me Rose?"

Rose sighed and lowered her gun, "Damnit Jake, you scared me."

Jake smiled and lowered his hands before walking down the trail to meet the three, "The Dragon Aides botched the portal and it sent you here to the beach. I'm sorry Rose, Johnny …ehh… Madam President…?"

Looking confused at the man, Jennie out stretched her hand and shook Jake's as he walked forward to greet her, "I don't believe we've met before, you can call me Jennie, are you somehow related to Agent Long?"

"She's my wife," Jake smiled and looked over to his wife, "This kid here is my son in-law, though I doubt they would have talked about me to you."

Rose rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, "Unlikely."

"As much as I do enjoy hearing about this," She smiled at the both of them patiently, "I'm kind of anxious to meet with your Council, quickly."

Jake nodded and noticed the files in her hand, before pointing back to the American Fighter Carrier, "The Council did get a little jumpy when they saw that Carrier off the coast, but they saw the flag and stood down. I have to ask before I talk you in, what are in those files that you have?"

"Jake, that's classified information," Rose snapped at him from the right.

He turned and glared at her for a moment before turning back to the President. But smiled patiently, "Now Agent Long, they're our allies and they have the right to know what we want them to do first. In these files are the locations of the Chinese Nuclear Silos that we gathered from combined NATO Intelligence, Russian Intelligence and EU Intelligence."

Jake smiled, "You want us to take out the Nuclear Silos?"

"That's right," Jennie smiled with an edge of hope.

"I think that can be arranged," Jake smiled and placed a hand on the small of her back to lead her up the trail. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed both Rose and Johnny stiffen, but they knew him and they knew that he wouldn't do anything wrong with the President. They let him.

But Rose walked up his left and whispered in his ear, "Kiss ass."

Jake stuck his tongue out and smugly strutted next to the President.

* * *

><p>Walking through the Dragon Council Palace was an experience that Jennie Eggert would never ever forget. But she noticed the strange glares from the large, beastly guards and she began to get frightened, least to say. It didn't last long however, when she felt Agent Long and Agent Sindacco close in on her left and right. But then the party stopped, and Jennie looked around to find that she was now encircled around them. Jake began to hold up his hands in an attempt to calm them down, but they continued to encircle them. She gasped when Rose and Johnny pulled out their guns. Johnny aimed his at the guards in the back, Rose in the front.<p>

"Gentlemen, this is the President of the United States that has been invited to speak with the council," Jake said calmly, but it was almost as if they weren't listening, "My wife and son in-law have orders to protect her…"

"And I will follow them," Rose finished, "You're Guard Corps know exactly who I am and what I am capable of, I will put a lot of bullets in you guys."

One of the guards snarled at her, but he wanted to manage and keep his respect for her because in all truth they respected her, "Mrs. Long, she is the first mortal and non-affiliated slayer to be here, she can be a threat."

"And you know I can be a threat as well," Rose shot back with a stern tone, it was the voice she used when she was talking to her children, "I respect you guys and I don't want to cause anything, but I was ordered to protect her and I will do that. So, are we cool here, or is there a problem."

They growled one last time, but they all nodded simultaneously and started to back away, Rose sighed and looked to the President, "Let's go."

"Hi," Erin said, she was about to seriously lie her ass off, but she was very good at what she did. Thanks to the information that Rose had given her and a fake CIA Badge, she would be able to get away with several things including flashing it. Doing just that, she smiled to the manager, "I'm Special Agent Hutchinson from the domestic branch of the US Central Intelligence Agency, someone from this hotel called in to report our APB?"

The manager smiled at her, albeit, a nervous smile, "Yes that was me."

"Do you mind if I could see the Security Tape from last night? I want to be sure before I go up there," Erin said, scratching the back of her head.

The Manager nodded, "Of course."

* * *

><p>With the combined powers of the European Union, the North American Treaty Organization, the United States of America and the Russian Federation, China was being quite literally squeezed like a bug. One million Russian Troops were now raining in from the north. China's allies, North Korea and Vietnam were being silent. Perhaps that had something to do with the 10,000 Fighter Jets that were now within 300 Miles of them and the 2000 warships. More were coming, and it was easy to assume that was why they were quiet. But the allied command would keep a watch.<p>

And the pressure would keep coming.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I might have one more update in me this weekend, and to have the major points, the President meets with the Dragon Council and Erin moves in on Rebecca and Daniel. And whatever the hell happened to the Greens and Jackie? You'll find that out too. <strong>


	7. Chapter 6 – The Eagle and Dragon

**Chapter 6 – The Eagle and Dragon **

North American Aerospace Defense Command was on condition red and if the Chinese detonated a Nuclear Weapon on their soil, the United States Military was prepared to send ten more in retaliation. They had been preparing war plans with China for decades and now they were taking steps to implement them. They were already moving eight hundred thousand reserve soldiers to put on the ground in time and along with the fact that the Navy and Air Force was in mass. If the pressure was kept on them from all sides and if they didn't have the distractions of North Korea and Vietnam to worry about, the People's Republic of China would fall in a matter of days.

"Admiral," NORAD Controller, Richard Bauer, a level two satellite monitor reported, in Government talk that was a person who sat around all day and looked at screens of the world, "We just picked up this disturbance outside of Beijing, a lift off. It matches the specs of a Peacekeeper III Nuke model."

Admiral Buchanan paled and walked over to Bauer's screen. It was a zoomed in picture of the topography of Beijing, and about thirty miles outside the city limits, there it was. It was a contrail. On the side of the screen, the internal NORAD Database had been scanning the shape and the color of the contrail. It matched a Peacekeeper III ICBM. The Peacekeepers varied in range. Peacekeeper I could strike within a distance from Washington DC to Dallas Texas, Peacekeeper II could strike from Miami Florida to Madrid Spain, Peacekeeper III, and here was the dangerous part, could strike from Beijing to Washington DC and Beijing to Moscow, in a matter of hours.

"Red Alert," He shouted stepping back and going to the wall panel to press a large red button, "Repeat, Red Alert, we have a long range Nuclear Missile Launch from Beijing, inform Washington and send a Memo to Moscow. I repeat. We are at condition red. Controller Bauer, scramble the F16's now!"

* * *

><p>"All Agents," Director Gordon of the CIA screamed into his earpiece, "We have confirmation of a Class III Ballistic Missile launch from Beijing. There is no confirmation yet on its direction, but we have to assume the worst case scenario. Continuity of Government Plan is now in affect, secure the Secretary Designates. Secure the Speaker of the House, Secure the Senate and House. The President is sufficiently secured, condition Red, Protocol III."<p>

Sighing as he got confirmation signals from each of his stations chiefs that were working in pairs with the Secret Service and FBI. He sat down at his desk and ran his hands through his hair. Looking back to his phone, he sighed heavily again and picked up the phone. Pressing Allen Mansfield's number on speed dial, he sighed and rubbed his face as the phone began to ring. When the dial tone ended, he cleared his throat and sighed again when Allen said greeted him, "Director Gordon, I assume you want a report on-…"

"No," Gordon cut him off, "I know the attack of the Capitol Building was bad, but things just got a whole lot worse. NORAD just picked up a peacekeeper III launch from one of the Beijing Nuclear Silos. There's a Nuclear Warhead."

He heard Allen sigh and curse, "What do you want me to do?"

"Inform Agent Long and Agent Sindacco that we are now under Condition Red and that the Continuity of Government Plan is now in affect," Director Gordon rubbed the bridge of his nose irritably, "When this is through, she is ordered to take the President to the USS Ronald Reagan, the Domestic Boundaries of the Country is no longer safe. She'll be secure from there."

Allen sounded confused, which furthered Gordon's anger, "With all due respect Director, wouldn't she be more secure at NORAD in Colorado now?"

"She'll be surrounded by our fleets and the Air Force, not to mention those of NATO and the Russians," Gordon reasoned, he was completely sure that it was the right thing to do, "Those are your orders Allen! The Secret Service has deferred out of country protection of the President to me and right now your Agents are the only ones who are protecting her! Tell them that she is to be brought to the Reagan. She can monitor our operation to kill Zhu De from there. We'll launch as soon as possible in retaliation for this missile."

"Alright," Allen responded, "What do you want me to tell the Navy?"

"Give Agent Long a direct line to Captain Yates," Gordon said, scratching his scalp and wishing to god that he could have a drink, "I'll give him a call myself and tell him to send a convoy to this place that she went. He'll send in helicopters when she gives him the call. The strike team that's been put together by the allies is in transit and will be arriving on the Reagan soon."

* * *

><p>She had frozen in place.<p>

Her senses were heightened and she had a keen sense of everything around her, all footsteps, all voices, even the slightest noise. That was the Huntsclan Senses that she was born with. They were taking over and she needed to act immediately. Closing her phone, she slipped it back into her pocket and sighed. The doors were not open yet, and she could inform the President of what had just happened. Pacing forward, she reached the President's shoulder and leaned in to speak in her ear, "Madam President, there has been a development. I've been ordered to keep a closer eye on you."

Jennie turned back to her and leveled the CIA Agent with a hard glare, "I don't want this situation sugar coated Agent Long, give me the information?"

"The Chinese just launched a Nuclear Warhead from a Peacekeeper III ICBM, that's capable of reaching Washington and Moscow in four hours," Rose whispered urgently, "We're moving the Congress, Speaker Hodges and your Secretary Designates to Zones X and Y. I've been ordered to bring you aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. You'll be ordered to stay there while we commence our operation on Zhu De. Everything you'll need will be there."

She sighed, "Is there a projected location as to where the strike will be?"

"It all depends ma'am," Rose shook her head, "It depends on who they're attacking, London, Berlin and Rome are the only ones that are out of range. Washington and Moscow are in range. The point is we're doing everything we can to shoot it down. But we need to be prepared if we can't stop it."

"When are crews from the Reagan going to get here?" She asked quietly.

"After you're done," Rose responded.

"Alright," She paused for a moment, "I'm going to go in there, but I want you to get in contact with the Director. Tell him that you had authorization to speak with the Joint Chief's of Staff, and if he doesn't, tell him that it was a direct order from me. Tell the Joint Chief's that I want them to wire access to the _Nuclear Football_ to a secure server on the Reagan, understand that?"

Her eyes widened, "You want me to speak with the Joint Chiefs? Me?"

"Yes," Jennie smiled, "I've grown to trust you, and I need someone I can."

She scratched the back of her neck, "Alright, I'll do that."

Rose sighed and motioned Johnny to take her place. She needed all of her resolve to speak here. Not only was she going to speak to the Commanders of the Armed Forces, second only to the President herself, but she was going to ask for the Nuclear Football. It wasn't literally a football. It was more of a rolodex of codes and locations of the United States' entire Nuclear Stockpile around the world. From the lowest range Nuke in Europe, to the highest Grade Nuke commissioned in Silos in the Midwest. It was an urban legend to civilians, thanks to the reverse psychology that her predecessors used. But it was real, and it was to be kept with the President at all times.

But with the events in the capitol yesterday, it was located in a vault in the bowls of the Pentagon. With the President's authorization, she was about to have it taken out. And that only mean one thing, US _Nuclear_ retaliation.

* * *

><p>When the doors opened, Jake ushered the President in and motioned her to the members of the Dragon Council members. Jennie was surprised. She had expected to see medieval people here. But they looked like normal, everyday people. They were even dressed in modern looking clothes. She bowed to them as a sign of respect, another thing picked up from her stint as State Secretary. She looked over to Jake and smiled, "I want to extend my thanks to Mr. Long. He served in his position as designee to my Government beautifully. I also want to thank you all for allowing me to come here."<p>

"We are grateful that you found the time to come to us with the current situation in your Country Madam President," Pro Tempore Nebroshka inclined her head slightly, "I am Pro Tempore Sabrina Nebroshka, Head of The Dragon State and Head of this Council. For your understanding, I am your direct equivalent in a sense, but I hold majority power over this Government. My word is law. You may present your case to me, so, let us skip the formalities?"

Jennie walked closer to the table and set the files gingerly down on the table, in front of the woman with the thick Russian Accent, "These are the targets that the Alliance is concerned with, this are all of the known Missile Silos of the Chinese Nuclear Arsenal. These are the places that we want you to disable and hopefully destroy. You should know, that I was just informed that the Chinese have launched a Nuclear Missile, we don't know where it's heading."

She jumped back slightly, when every single one of them jumped up from their chairs and growled. Sabrina sneered and looked down at the files that the President had given her "They are fools to threaten our security!"

"That's why we need this done as soon as possible," She said.

Sabrina nodded, "I'll have my soldiers move in one these locations. I can assure you that we can get passed anything they can throw at us. We'll destroy these Nuclear Missiles and anything else that you want us to-…"

"On second thought," Jennie smiled, "I need another favor, I have a team of Agents that are going to go into the Government Center of China and kill Zhu De, the head of the People's Republic. One of the team members is Agent Long, Mr. Long's Wife and I think that they'll need support from the ground."

She looked up, "We'll take care of it, thank you for bringing this to our attention."

* * *

><p>She had been watching the room for hours from her car in the parking lot and she didn't know what she was waiting for. The Security Cameras had indeed captured both Rebecca and Daniel checking in. The only question that was left was this one, was she going to go up there and kill them both without any questions asked. Or was she going to play with her food before she ate it? Oh she liked the last one a lot better. Her mind was made up, she was going to kill them, but she was going to have fun doing it.<p>

Before she had left Manhattan, she had paid a visit to her storage locker and taken some things out of there that would do so. Carrying a case that contained her gun, a knife, sharp, steel rope, Erin marched to the Motel Room door. Pausing a moment to lean up against the wall, directly right of the door, she squatted down and opened the case up. Grabbing her Beretta and the clip that went along with it, she injected the clip into the gun and grabbed the knife by its base. Setting the case down, she ejected the knife from its base. She wanted to take them by surprise, this is how she would.

After a good twenty seconds of disabling the cruddy lock, she smiled when she felt the knob click through her knife. It was unlocked. Pressing the button back on the base to stow the blade, she slipped it into her pocket and walked back to grab her case. Taking a deep breath in, she set the case closer to the door and cocked the gun. Another three seconds, and when they passed. She gripped the knob and turned it.

And what she caught them doing, was both funny and sickening.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I'm sure you all know what they're doing. Well Erin will interrupt them as soon as we come back for the next chapter. Then we will get Jake's reaction to what's about to happen in Beijing. <strong>


	8. Chapter 7 – Hunting and Gathering

**Chapter 7 – Hunting and Gathering**

The first of the silent bullets was fired into the headboard and with Erin's expert skills, she fired the other shot into the bed to knock them way from each other. Erin had walked in on the two having sex and she almost wanted to hurl, but she had other things to do. Setting the case down on the small table in the room, she silently shut the door with her foot, never taking her aim off of the two and keeping them directly in her line of vision. There would be no escape or distractions for them this time, she would not have that, and if there happened to be a distraction or an escape, Erin would eliminate it brutally, "Now that I've finally got you, we should have a litt-…"

"Erin," Daniel put his hands up in surrender, "Please hear us out."

She fired a bullet above his head that went straight through the wall to embed in the bathtub. There was nothing that would stop her from killing these two vermin, no excuses, no words, nothing, "Shut up! We trusted you; we took you in and made you a part of the family Daniel and this is how you repay us! By nearly killing my mother, oh I'm going to enjoy killing you!"

"Hunter Hutchinson," Rebecca began, but Erin fired another shot above her head and snarled. These two were Hunters! Didn't they know that you didn't talk to your captor! It was a clear ticket to get killed. They really were idiots.

"And you Bitch, don't you talk at all," Erin growled and gripped the gun tighter as she reached down and unbuckled the case, "I already have something special for you. By the way, Rose sends her regards and she wants me to cut your eyes and feed them to you. Does that sound good?"

Rebecca didn't say anything and that was to be expected, no lowering the gun, she reached down and grabbed the steel rope out of the case, "I want you two to get dressed, we're going to go on a little drive to quiet place…"

"You're not going to kill us here?" Rebecca asked, lightly. Inwardly, she was shaking, but she would never show it. She couldn't show fear to this woman.

Looking to her, Erin smiled, "You'd like that wouldn't you, but in case your thinking that I forgot this little fact, let me remind you that I know everything about Hunting, bitch. Rule one, never leave any witnesses. I happen to know that the rooms to the left and right of this one are empty, but the ones under you are occupied and I think that they'll hear screams."

She'd show these two who they were fucking with.

She wasn't Rose, but when you got her going, she was a hell of a lot worse.

* * *

><p>Yawning loudly, Rose slipped the phone back into her jeans and turned to watch as the President, Jake and Johnny emerged from the Dragon Council Chamber. That conversation with the Joint Chiefs of the Staff hadn't been so bad and intimidating as she expected it to be. After all, she was only speaking to the heads of the Military and the most senior Military Officials other then the President of the United States herself, "Madam President, I just got off of the phone with the JCO's and they've agreed to your plan."<p>

Jennie smiled, "As I knew they would, any word on the Missile?"

"It's still on an unknown trajectory," Rose shrugged slightly. She really couldn't afford to be scared at this moment, "The appropriate teams are being moved into place, we're securing several dozen Hospitals in the Major Cities that would be known targets and all air traffic is still grounded. Ports of Entry are being moved out of range of the Missile and we're shutting down those that are. We also have a blanket GAG order for the media."

She nodded, "The reason?"

"National Security," Rose said and her eyes drifted over to her Husband who was looking at them with the most recognizable sight of confusion on his face, "You look like you're confused Jake, is there something you need?"

He scratched his head, "I'm not good with all of this Government Talk that you seem to be strangely good at. Can you fill me in with human talk?"

Rose looked to the President, who nodded, and then she offered her husband a sympathetic smile, "There is a Class-3 Nuclear Missile that is most likely headed toward our Country. Its reach is from London to Washington and that's about 3 Billion People under the gun. That's what's going on and we're trying the best we can to divert it or shoot it down."

"What about New York? What about our Children?" Jake spoke in a hushed town as if he were telling a secret. Rose should have seen that coming.

Sure, she was concerned about that. She had been doing mental calculations in her head for hours now in an attempt to figure out the possible scenarios of a New York exposure to Nuclear Radiations. None of them were plausible, but she was still frightened, "None that I can think of, even if that Nuclear Weapon hits Washington, it would still be beyond the radius of exposure."

"Are you sure about that?" He began and Rose could tell that his voice was beginning to grow to utterly indignant levels. What did Jake want her to do? Did he want her to develop the power of flight and take the Missile down in the middle of the Ocean? Sometimes he was nothing but a pompous ass.

Doing her best to maintain her composure in front of her Commander and Chief, she glared at her husband with clenched teeth, "What do you want me to do Jake? The kids will be exposed to danger once and while in their lives and we will not always be around to get them out of it. The odds of New York being affected by this bomb are slim to none. Even if it does come to New York, we'll have a two hour warning and I'll make sure that they get-…"

"You'd better be right about this," He growled at her.

Rose returned the growl, "And what the fuck will you do about it then?"

"Hey," President Eggert stepped in the middle of them and Rose suddenly felt her anger ebb away. She had lost her cool in front of the President and if she wasn't so worked up by her husband, she'd be embarrassed, "As much as I don't want to get involved in your marital issues, we have a job to do Agent Long. I have to ask you to put your personal matters aside, alright?"

Nodding, Rose glared once more at her Husband, "Yes Madam President."

This wasn't over, by the looks that the two were shooting each other.

* * *

><p>Lillian hadn't moved from the Television since she had arrived back at her parent's home. Her entire family had decided to hold itself up at Robert and Caroline's home until they heard from Rose again. It had been only a day, and they expected this little conclave to last a whole lot longer. Lillian also had to make note that this was the first time that her niece and two sons and been together in this house in nearly two and a half years.<p>

Vivian had a little spat with her Grandmother a few years back and that's what the cause of it all was. She was pleased to notice discretely that her mother and niece were starting to talk. That was a start at least. But her chief thought rested solely on her sister and her safety at the moment.

* * *

><p>Jackie ran her hand through her hair and tried to understand that this wasn't real, but it seemed exactly that. She wasn't entirely sure that this wasn't a hallucination or at the very least, a dream. If it wasn't real and if it was a figment of her imagination, it was a good one and she intended to enjoy it as much as possible. She looked to her left and watched her very late Husband as he looked at the sort of, film that was running in front of them, if you could call it that. They were looking back over Erin's life, and everything in it.<p>

"She's turned out to be an amazing woman," Jackie observed, "She's strong and has a hell of a lot of ability to preserver. I suppose I raised her to be that way, but she's head strong and sometimes doesn't think through things."

Nicolas snorted, "I suppose that you're going to blame that on me?"

"You know it," Jackie looked back at him, "I tried to protect her, but she made some choices in her life that got her into a pile of shit and it took her a long time to clean herself off. I can only imagine what my '_situation_' has done to her."

"It's sent her into a rage, those two people that shot you are going to die very soon and our Daughter will not make it easy and slow," Nicolas said as if he was having some firsthand knowledge of what Erin was doing at the time they spoke, "I don't blame her, and I can't help but pity those two fools…"


	9. Chapter 8 – Foreboding

**Chapter 8 – Foreboding **

* * *

><p>When Erin escorted Daniel and Rebecca out of the hotel room and to her rented car in the corner of the parking lot, it didn't garner any attention and that's the way she wanted it. Erin was confident that she wouldn't be pegged for the murder of her two captives, but the chances decreased almost to zero if there were no witnesses. For the most part they were cooperative, why wouldn't they be? They were Hunters. They knew that the first order of captivity was to cooperate with your captive, "Where do you on doing the deed? Is it somewhere quiet I suppose?"<p>

Erin didn't answer her at first. She slammed the back door and opened the drivers door back up, it was quick and angry movement and it only went to show that Erin felt as though she needed to get out of there and out of there quickly, "You'd guess right, I've thought about it long and hard and I've decided that I'm going to play with my food before I eat it. You two will die, but you'll die when I decide that you can die."

"It was nothing personal Erin," Daniel began, "But what Jackie and the others were doing was just too horrible to watch."

"Daniel, the little bitch put a hit on kids, KIDS! There really isn't anything else to top that, and no matter how much my mother was torturing her, it was a million times more then what she deserved," Erin hissed back, pulling out of the parking lot and pulling back onto the main street of the town, "I don't care if you two have a thing for each other, I've warned you both at one point or another that if you do anything to harm my family, I will kill you. The both of you have pretty much racked up a large amount of debt, do here's where you pay up. Understand that?"

They tried not to show the fear that was now coming across their faces. They could instantly understand where she was coming from. In the Huntsclan, family was everything and they had miscalculated. This Miscalculation would cost them their lives and they only wished that they didn't have to wait for it. At this point in time, there was no escape from this moving car. Their wrists bound with steel wire and there was no way that they could make it out of this car without being hit with another one. They were dead, and Erin Hutchinson had made sure of that.

* * *

><p>The Dragon Council had made sure to lower the '<em>shield<em>' that was always around the Isle of Draco, it was for one purpose. A group of Blackhawk Helicopters were now approaching the exposed portion of the beach to pick up the President. Rose, Jake, Johnny and the President were standing around in a circle waiting for the helicopters to arrive, "Madam President, this is the Navy Seal Division of the Pacific Fleet. They're at your disposal and as of this moment, their number one priority is getting you to the USS Ronald Reagan safely and securely. The reason I'm telling you this is because they were the first guys to storm Hong Kong this morning. They've been through a lot today and I really think that it would do them well to have some recognition from you ma'am."

"Thank you, Agent Long," Jennie nodded and looked out over the ocean to the approaching quartet.

Rose, being caught up in the confrontation with her husband, turned back to him and motioned him to follow her. There were a few things that they needed to go over. It was one thing when you were dealing with CIA, but the Military was another ballgame. The Military was a lot more sensitive, it took everything personally and it never forgave anything. Rose had a good standing with the Military, she had worked with them on several cases before and she was liked by them, but the odd one out in this equation was her husband. She was going to vouch for Johnny, but she refused to do that with her husband and he was on his own, "There are a few things you need to know before you step foot on the helicopter Jake, the first thing, do ask any fucking stupid questions."

"Ok," He drawled, "And how am I supposed to know what's stupid?"

"Don't talk," She replied back with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

"Har Har," Jake sneered and glared at his wife, "Is there something that you really wanted to say to me Rose?"

"Yeah, don't ask for any classified information and if you go anywhere that isn't the command center, you ask permission or you wait until Johnny and I can go with you. Otherwise the MP's onboard the Reagan will put a cap in your crown for mistakenly trying to find your way into the Missile Room," Rose said seriously, folding her arms over chest, "I can't stress this point enough to you dear, you stray from your designated place and they will shoot your ass. Your designated area is near me or Johnny. When the mission happens it's the command center. Remember you're only here because we appointed you as our designate to the Dragons."

Jake laid his hand over his chest, "And what make's you think that I can't defend myself."

"I'm not saying that," Rose smiled patronizingly, "But you versus _3000 Men_ with really _big guns_ onboard a _Nuclear Powered Air Craft Carrier_ is kind of slanted to them."

The former American Dragon whistled, "Thanks for the warning, I'll be sure to be as quiet as the grave."

"Good," Rose nodded, "And I'm sorry that I made a bitch out of myself, I've just been so fucking busy."

When she didn't say another word, Jake leaned forward quickly and kissed her. He chuckled at the expression her face and laid his forehead against hers while simultaneously placing his hands on the curve of her hips, "I know that you wouldn't let anything happen to the kids and I overreacted. I'll let you do what you do best and that means go and kick some Communist Ass. I'll make sure that the children are ok and everything will be just fine."

Rose smiled and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, "I've been thinking, after this mission, I plan on leaving the CIA. I'll give it another month maybe, teach everything I know to Johnny and then I can retire and finally settle my ass down. It's been twenty years and I think I want to have some time to see our kids grow up."

He kissed her once more, "That's a perfect plan, but I think we need to get back to reality now. Your Helicopters are here."

* * *

><p>"Thanks," Alyssa sighed as she adjusted her hair over her sweater.<p>

Haley, Rachel, Liza, Daemon, Michael, Kailey and Luong were all there for her as she was preparing to leave. The Doctors hadn't recommended that she go right at that moment, but they also said that if she had left then it wouldn't pose any threat to her health, so she was going to hit the road. Her pants had been carefully placed around the cast on her thigh and she would have to wait until she got the wheelchair. It was a pain in the ass, but Luong had made sure in advance to get her a wheelchair to use until she could walk. Alyssa and Luong were very close. They were as close as if they were siblings. When Johnny wasn't around, Luong frequently looked after his cousin.

Smiling patiently at her family, she inched to the side of the medical bed and failed her limbs impatiently, "A little help!"

Luong smiled at her sheepishly before coming forward and wrapping his arms around his cousin's narrow waist, lifting her off of the bed and lowering her down into the wheelchair. She sighed irritably and brushed a strand of blonde hair out of her forehead, how the hell was she going to make it like this for the next few weeks? That's how long the doctors had given her to be an invalid, three weeks. She could have chosen crutches, but that would have been a pain in the ass to use. Wiping the sweat off of her forehead, she turned to her daughter that was present in the gaggle of people that were waiting for her next move, "Liza? Come here, I need to see you."

Her daughter smiled sheepishly and came to her mother, she buried her face in the crook of her mother's armpit, "I'm glad your okay mom."

"I know," Alyssa smiled and patted her daughter's head, "I'm glad I'm okay too."

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I know nothing really big happened here, but it's a build up and we'll get there! I'm feeling a lot better now and I've had this burst of energy to write this! <strong>


	10. Chapter 9 – Musings and Environments

**Chapter 9 – Musings and Environments **

This was his wife's environment, by far and Jake was more than happy to sit back and watch her work. When the Helicopter landed on the beach, he smiled with pride when his wife saluted and shook the hand of the person in the cabin of the helicopter. She seemed proud to be what she was and that was the reason that he really didn't voice his objections to her work. Jake understood that Rose would never really be happy just being a mother, and that's why he hadn't really bitched enough about her joining the CIA.

She had always been one for a Law Enforcement position or for that of something of an enforcer. The Huntsgirl had enforced the will of the Huntsman and the Huntsclan, she had kicked ass, taken names and built a reputation that made her name alone feared in the Magical World. She had been Senior Detective in LA for the years that she had been gone and Jake was sure that if she hadn't been conned into returning, she would have made it to the top of the heap. This CIA thing gave her a purpose like those two positions had done and Jake was more then happy to let her live it.

"CIA Agent Long," Rose said, more yelled over the noise that the blades of the helicopters were making, "Special Agent for the protection of the President. This is Junior Agent Sindacco, my protégée and the other agent assigned for the President's protection. This is my husband Jake Long, Special Envoy to our '_Allies_' for this mission, and of course President Eggert."

The attendant nodded to himself and Johnny and shook hands with the President as he ushered her into her designated seat. Jake watched as his wife seemed to sigh and take a seat next to him. When she sat down, she buckled the large belt across her chest and laid her head on his shoulder. He smiled to himself and moved one hand to the other side of her waist and pulled her closer to him. He moved his lips to her ear and chuckled warmly in it, he didn't need to speak that loudly due to the proximity of his lips to her ears, "Are you telling me that you do this for a living baby?"

Rose's head perked up from his shoulder and she grinned wildly and nodded her head before leaning up to his ear, "It's some real James Bond shit."

He smiled and kissed her lightly before leaning his own head down on her shoulder. He was happily whipped, he knew he was whipped, he accepted it and he enjoyed it. In any other situation he wouldn't have taken it on the chin. If things had been different, if he had ended up with someone like Trixie, he wouldn't have taken to being whipped. But Rose was different, she was sweet, loving, beautiful, generous, and most of all she knew what she wanted and she reached out and took it. There was that other side of her too, but it ensured that they never really had a dull moment in their lives.

Rose could honestly be the beast from hell when she could, but Jake was sure that was the reason that they were so happy, they were never bored. The fact that they were on Black Hawk Helicopter on their way to an Air Craft Carrier so that they could oversee Rose on her mission to kill the President of the People's Republic of China. If that wasn't exciting, Jake didn't know what exciting was. He chuckled to himself and pulled his wife closer.

'_Jake Long, this is your life …_' He thought with full of humor.

* * *

><p>"Mrs. Sindacco," The Desk Attendant said as she made her way to where Alyssa and the rest of her family were gathered. They had been told not to leave the hospital just yet. There was something that the Doctor needed to talk to her about, "Doctor Henniger apologizes for not being able to speak to your directly, he got called into surgery. I hope you don't mind?"<p>

Alyssa smiled patently at the woman and motioned to her family and then the bulge of the cast on her leg, "Just make it quick, I kind of want to leave."

"Well," The attendant smiled and handed a file that she had in her hands, it was a slow movement that sent off warning bells in her head, "When Doctor Henniger removed the bullet from your leg. He ran some residual tests on the rest of your body. He detected an increased level of hormones in a certain area and this hormone is the signal of something of concern in your situation."

The American Dragon sighed and looked to her Aunt, "You think you can go and distract the kids?"

"Sure," Haley nodded and went away to do exactly that.

Alyssa waited for a moment while her Aunt and Cousin shooed her brothers, sisters and daughter away. If there was something seriously wrong with her, she didn't even want to give them in inclination that there was something wrong. She didn't want to scare them. Those poor kids had been through a lot in the past day and a half. If anything made it back to her parents or husband, her life would be nothing but hell. She'd be babied constantly by her father and husband. Her mother would go nuts and go massacre the dead hitman's relatives. No, she couldn't have this getting out. She turned back to the attendant and her patient smile came back on her face, "Alright, tell me what's wrong with me."

"Uhh …Mrs. Sindacco, how long has it been since you had your last period?" The nurse asked in a hushed tone.

"Well, I've been a few days late-…" She stopped as the realization hit her.

The Attendant smiled coyly, "We ran the standard test that's equivalent to your standard Pregnancy Test. All indications suggest that you are pregnant."

"_What …?_" Alyssa asked in a monotone voice.

"You're Pregnant, Mrs. Sindacco," The Attendant said again.

With that, Alyssa slumped back in her wheel chair, unconscious.


	11. Chapter 10 – Kiss of a Thorn

**Chapter 10 – Kiss of a Thorn **

When things worked perfectly in any situation that required their involvement, the Armed Forces and the Intelligence Agencies of the United States were an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. The CIA had been the top dog in Intelligence for 63 Years and the Military had defended the United States since its inception in you put the two of them together, you got a force that would plow under any enemy that threatened the country and this was one of those cases. When the CIA called, the rest of the Intelligence Community came running, that was the sight onboard the Nuclear Aircraft Carrier USS Ronald Reagan.

The Agents from the world's leading Intelligence Agencies were just beginning to arrive when Rose, Jake, Johnny and the President finally made it to the ship. The British MI5 Agent Candice Luker, Mossad Agent Baer and FIS Agent Gulin were already onboard when they arrived and when Rose first spotted them from the helicopter, she felt that urge to stress the point that this was her territory. It was true, they were visitors, but this was her turf, this was her area of expertise and they were merely her tools. When the Helicopter touched down, she gave a grin to Johnny and turned to the other Intelligence Agents that were waiting for them at the edge of the Helipad. The Huntsgirl in her, the part of her that was Thorn cockily smirked at them.

She didn't bother to wait for her other companions before the leaped off of the helicopter and slowly made her way to the other Agents, she was slow in her movements and she wore a cocky edge to her. Rose wasn't entirely sure what made her do this when she met other Intelligence Agents, perhaps it was a residual habit from her cut throat days in the Huntsclan, or maybe it was that '_America First_' attitude that the CIA instilled in their employees. Whatever it was, it wasn't going away and Rose felt that there was no reason to hide it.

"Agent Long," Mossad Agent Baer smiled and shook her hand, "I've heard much about your exploits in the CIA."

Rose nodded and returned the smile, "I hope it wasn't an intelligence leak."

The two shared a laugh over the stupid pun and then Rose turned her attention to the two other Agents. MI5 Agent Candice Luker and FIS Agent Gulin offered her smiles and shook her hand. Then they offered her jokes about her exploits in the intelligence community as Mossad Agent Baer had and then Rose turned and introduced Johnny, who had chosen at that time to walk up behind her, "I want to introduce you to my son in-law and protégée, Agent Johnny Sindacco. He doesn't know that I'm training him to replace me when I leave."

"You have a lot to learn from her Agent Sindacco," Luker said with a patient smile.

Rose smirked to herself as she turned and threw Johnny into the pack of wolves. He'd have to learn to do those things on his own if he was to ever survive in that business. She'd train him for a little while and then she'd retire. She wasn't kidding about that, there was an ulterior motive to Johnny's quick and painless hiring. The CIA had suggested to her that if she was going to leave, she push someone like her, in another words, a former Hunter, to join the CIA. She was a massive asset to them apparently and they weren't going to let her go without some insurance.

Walking back to the Helicopter, she arrived just in time to see the President and Jake helping each other off of the helicopter. She had memorized the layout of this ship back at the office and she knew the main points of interest, she also knew where the command centre was. She also knew that once the German Intelligence Agent arrived, they would move, they only had to prepare for the plan, "Jake, Madam President, follow me."

* * *

><p>"The CIA has been exploring our options with China for the past twenty years," Rose said as everyone finally settled down, she was in charge of this assignment and as such, it was her job to give them the specifics, "We are fully aware that MI5, Mossad and the FIS have had their own plans, but we've actually gone as far as to calculate and project the collapse of the China's affect on the world. In this case, with a joint NATO-Russian Invasion, we calculate that the fall of China will provide a massive economic boost to its competitors, including the US, India and the UK."<p>

She looked around at the square table as all the attention in the room was on her. The Generals and Admirals that commanded the Reagan, the President, and the Foreign Intelligence Agents were all looking at her and waiting for her next words. Rose felt powerful and she was enjoying it immensely, "At our last update from NORAD, the Nuclear Weapon that was launched from Beijing is going in the direction of the Russian Federation, the Russian's response is entirely up to them. The Russian's will not be Nuking China, and we can only assume that Agent Gulin's presence here is a part of their official response. Our joint mission is simple: use the combined powers of the Western Countries to kill Zhu De."

Rose crossed her arms over her chest, "It will happen in quick succession as soon as the German arrives. We will be flown into Beijing and to the Communist Party Headquarters, where we estimate he is. We will split up into three teams, myself and Agent Sindacco, Agent Gulin and Agent Baer and finally Agent Burkhart and Agent Luker. We repel down into the building, armed to the teeth, we comb every inch of the building until we find him and then we kill him. If this doesn't happen and he isn't there, we send the signal to the Blackhawk Flotilla and we get the hell out."

"Plan B," She said, she had this memorized and she could report it with her hands tied behind her back, "If Zhu De isn't in that building, the US Air Force will unleash 300 F-16's to mount a bombing campaign against all Government Areas. If we don't find him, at the very least we are going to level Beijing like they did to the Capitol Building yesterday."

MI5 Agent Luker raised her hand, "What about the conspiracy theorists, they'll wonder if this was an excuse for us to finally wipe out the Chinese."

Rose smiled at the woman who bore a strange resemblance to herself, "We've thought about that, that's why at this very moment in all of our countries, the news is reporting that there will be a live feed available our individual websites. When you go to the website, there will be a hundred feeds that you could click on and it'll give you a view of that portion of China. They're from our fleet of drones we unleashed a few hours ago."

"You'll kill the theories with the truth?" Luker questioned with a smile.

Rose chuckled and she couldn't help but look at her Husband for a moment before she smiled back at the MI5 Agent, "That's the idea."

* * *

><p>"I'm tired of having children," Alyssa waved the folder back and forth over her face to cool herself off, she couldn't believe the fact that she was going to have another kid, "I mean I always said that I might have another or two while I still could, but I didn't count on it happening this soon?"<p>

Haley patted her nieces shoulder comfortingly, "Well if you compare yourself with your mother, you're ahead of her and you've finally beat her at something. Considering the fact that you and your mother are freakishly fertile, you came out ahead. And you know you could always have your tubes tied after this one. That was probably the best thing Rose ever did, she probably would have had a few more before she hit forty."

"I know," Alyssa moaned, "But the day that I had more children then my mother was the day that pigs flied."

"And you know what guess who's going to be the new running joke about having babies in the family now?" Haley teased.

"I should have gone the route you did and snagged me a Husband who died early, and then at least I'd only have one kid," Alyssa moaned again.

Haley laughed, but then she grew slightly quieter as a thought occurred to her, "You could have it uhm …terminated…"

The American Dragon looked to her Aunt with a surprised expression on her face. She hadn't thought about that, abortion really wasn't something that was thought of in her family. If her mother had abortion on her mind when she was pregnant with her, then Alyssa might not have been there to think about it. Did she even believe in it? Well, she did if it was purely for a medical concern or if the child was the product of incest or rape, but Alyssa was only even humoring this because it was merely inconvenient for her, not because this child was a burden or a monstrosity.

Alyssa fell into deep thought then, she didn't know what she was going to do, but she was going to give it some heavy thought.

She would seriously consider having it aborted.

* * *

><p>Erin looked up in her rearview mirror before accelerating onto the highway, she had the perfect place to do this and she knew that if she did it there, the odds of her getting caught were astronomical. She had to fight down the urge to stop the car and wake them both up, but let them sleep, they'd need all the rest they could get for what was about to come to them. Erin herself felt an ache come through her body at the thought of what she had planned for them, but that was the price that she would pay for it. No one fucked with her family and got away with it.<p>

No one ...


	12. Chapter 11 – Deadly and Political Games

**Chapter 11 – Political Games and Deadly Games**

If being President of the United States was the most powerful position one could ever hold in their life time, the United States Secretary of Defense was _arguably_ the third. Overseeing the vast branches and resources of the United States Military, the Defense Secretary wielded an extreme amount of power over the armed forces, second only to the President. As such, and with recent events doubling the pressure on her, President Eggert put every other position she had to fill out of her mind and focused on that one spot. She didn't even have a Vice President yet.

"We need to do something to reign our control over the Intelligence and Military Agencies," the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nathan Klein practically screamed into her ear as President Eggert sat in her secluded office aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, "You need to let them know that this will not turn into a pissing contest between two out of three of the branches. I want this done Madam President, do you hear me?"

President Eggert rolled her eyes and sighed, the new Speaker was gung hoe about his new job. He was the most Senior Official left in his party and the newly reconstituted House must have elected him Speaker based on that qualification alone, but there was one little area that caused her to dismiss the kid. He was thirty five and this was only his second term in Congress.

She had spent fifteen years as a Congresswoman, been elected Majority Leader and she would have quite possibly become the Speaker in the very next election if she didn't decide to resign and run for Senator in her own state. She had served in the Senate for twelve years before serving as Secretary for multiple departments and multiple Presidents.

She had become the Secretary of State with unanimous consent from the Senate and her party was in the _Minority_ in the chamber at the time. It's because she had threatened to expose her enemy's secrets if they didn't give her a yes vote to become Secretary of State. That's how she had survived long enough to become President of the United States.

Albeit on the coattails of a travesty like the Terrorist Attack on the Capital Building, but she had become President none the less. She _had_ survived and remained in Washington long enough to know where all of the bodies were buried and she used that to her advantage.

This kid of a Speaker didn't know that he was messing with a lifelong politician who knew how to play the game better then her successor. She had enough dirt on her opponents to get anything through, and that's why she knew that once everything settled down, she'd be one hell of a President.

"Mr. Speaker," President Eggert began gingerly, getting up from her chair and pacing the length of the box like room, "Do you know what happened to the previous speaker when he threatened to derail a peace agreement with Jordon that I had been working on for months, last year?"

"I remember you got ended up getting a vote of three fourths of the house, when the news projected that it would get nowhere-…" His voice trailed off.

"Because, you see, I've been in this town long enough to learn two things," She smirked and sat on her desk, "If you don't get what you want, you either make life a living hell for the person resisting, or you dig up and use as much crap as possible on that person and I did that to the Speaker. I shouldn't talk ill of the dead, but he had affection for taking large amounts of money in exchange for tax incentives back when I was Majority Leader."

"So what? You have nothing on me," The Speaker franticly reasoned.

This is where her evil side came out and it came out with smile, this evil side of her was known as the real side of Jennie Eggert who knew how to play the game of Politics, "That's right, because you're just a kid and the American Public has no faith in someone as young as you being Speaker of the House. Here's how I can make your life a living hell, want to hear it?"

"If you're so smart," He sounded like an indignant child by this point.

Jennie smirked again, "A lot of my friends and enemies are up there under the pile of rubble that used to the be the House Chamber right now, but be aware, Mr. Speaker, that I still have friends and enemies who can be persuaded or forced to make your life a living hell unless I get what I want."

"And what is it that you want?" His voice dropped at her plan.

"The Senate is no problem, that plane took out 63 Senators and I have fifty friends in certain Governorships who will be more than happy to appoint replacements who are friendly to me," She gushed, she didn't like that fact that while that was true, she had last 63 of her close friends, but the messily little speaker didn't need to know that, "But until I can get them all vetted, the House will be deciding my replacements, first of all, unless you want to become Speaker again in two years, which I am assuming that you do?"

"I do," The Speaker confirmed.

"Good," She nodded, "Well here's all you'll have to do to make sure that you will be re-elected Speaker and not sent back to the back benches again. In twenty four hours, I will be presenting my nominee for Defense Secretary, he or she is to be confirmed in one session, no questions asked, got it?"

"Bu-but-…people will start to question-…?" He babbled at her.

Again, Jennie smiled, "Basic rule of Politics, Nathan and even though it's a morbid one, President's typically take advantage of it. FDR did it with Pearl Harbor, George Bush did it with 9/11 and I'm doing it with this. You can pretty much get away with anything on a bump like this, you _will_ do this."

"Fine," He sighed, "I really don't like it, but fine, is there anything else?"

"Yes," She nodded, "I will be selecting my nominees for the Supreme Court next week, and I expect them all to be confirmed by the end of the month."

"Yes …_Madam President_," Speaker Klein growled, "Is that it?"

"Have a good day," President Eggert sneered sarcastically into the phone.

Hearing the scoff of the Speaker one more time, Jennie smiled and hung up the phone before setting it back down on her desk. She never imagined that she'd get to this position and even though she had inherited this office through the deaths of four other people, she'd do it to the best of her ability.

* * *

><p>"A standard issue Glock," Rose presented the gun to the crowd of her fellow Intelligence Agents, "This will be your hand gun that you use when you need it, and these are special design, brought to you by the CIA. They are equipped with classified internal silencers and range increasing devices."<p>

Johnny raised his hand and Rose smiled before she called on him, "What?"

"That's impossible, internal silencers and range increasing devices," He said.

Sighing, she walked forward and handed the gun to her son in-law. Rose watched in amusement as his eye's slowly widened to the size of saucers as he explored the weapon, "This is incredible, when did this happen?"

"About ten years ago, we had a breakthrough with technology with the silencers, and we kept it seriously under the rug," Rose said, putting her hands on her hips and smirked at the other international intelligence agents as they stared slack jawed at her and that gun, "Sorry, we didn't tell."

"Why is it that every time that there is a technological advancement in the avenue of guns, it's always revealed to be in the possession and created by the Americans?" MI6 Agent Luker scoffed and rolled eyes at them.

Rose's smirk grew heavier and it was directed very bluntly at the Agent of the British Secret Service, "It's because we're the Superpower and when the world distracts itself from scrutinizing us for a time, we tend to busy ourselves with actually doing something like inventing new technology. This is what you get."

"I have to admit," Mossad Agent Baer grasped the weapon, he was genuinely impressed with the design of the gun, "When American's set out to do something they usually do it in style and in a big way, impressive."

"Thank you," Rose nodded, "The Silencer and the Range Extension Device can penetrate the standard bullet proof vests of the Chinese Military. Our own bullet proof vests have been designed to take hits from _Shotguns_. It'll hurt like hell when it hits you, but it won't blow a hole through you and kill you."

Johnny set the glock back down on the large table and looked back up at his Mother in-law, "What are we going to use for a heavy weapon?"

Rose winked at him and turned around to a large wall, she was in the Armory of the USS Ronald Reagan and the good thing about these Military Ships was that they were almost identical to every Armory in almost every Federal Building in the Country. It was purposely designed that way, so that when the Feds and the Military worked together, there wouldn't be any confusion on how to run things. That's why she knew exactly where to find the weapon.

Opening up a panel in the wall, she gripped the heavy barrel of the M-16 Assault Rifle and held it in both of her hands before turning on her heel and to the curiosity of the other Intelligence Agents, "The M-16 Assault Rifle, and standard issue of the United States Military. Over 8 Million in use today, it will be our special friend for this mission, do we all know how to use it?"

There was a unanimous nod from all of them and Rose nodded once more before turning around and placing it back on the rack and closing the panel on the wall up. That was essentially all that we needed before the mission, all they had to do was wait for the German Agent to arrive, they brief him and then they could leave. But the thing that concerned her was the fact that the German Officer, Agent Burkhart was supposed to the first of all of the agents to arrive. Expect he was three hours late.

Leaving her fellow Agents to start arming themselves with spare clips, the bulletproof vests and glocks, Rose walked to the entrance of the room and grasped the handle of the phone. Dialing the command centre of the ship, she sighed as the dial tone set in. It seemed even when you were onboard a US Navy Aircraft Carrier, Government phone calls took days to get through.

"Command Centre," A voice answered and Rose slapped her forehead in the realization that this was probably the fastest a Government Telephone Operator had ever picked up from her. She owed the guy a drink later.

"This is Agent Rose Long with the CIA in the Armory," She said, taking a quick look back over to the others, "I'm running out of patience for Agent Burkhart, now did he come? What is the deal, I'm running out of time too."

"Agent Long, I'm sorry that we didn't tell you sooner, I think Admiral Peters was going to give you the phone call," The phone attendant, or whatever he was, told her, "The Helicopter that Agent Burkhart was picked up was hit and vaporized by a Chinese Air to Surface Missile. The Russians just informed us."

Rose rubbed her forehead, "Damn it, can you patch me through to POTUS?"

"Yes, Agent Long," The Attendant said.

* * *

><p>President Eggert was in the middle of writing a statement on Zhu De's death, that the extent to how much confidence she had in Agent Long and the other Agent's ability to get the job done. She would tout the death humbly, even though she would snicker at the death of the son of a bitch. When the phone rang, she sighed and sat the pad down. Leaning forward, she picked it up.<p>

"Yes," She said tersely, "What is it? I'm busy?"

"With all due respect ma'am, so am I. I'm about to launch an attempt to assassinate the President of the People's Republic of China," Rose bit back her anger severely out of respect for her Commander in Chief, "I was just told that the Agent Burkhart of Germany's helicopter was shot down on the Russian Chinese Border. I just wanted to let you know that…"

Jennie leaned forward and ran her hand through her hair, "Shit, ok. I'll place a call to the German Prime Minister and President, offer the condolences of our Government. Since you speak for the CIA in this matter, anything words?"

"Tell them, the United States Central Intelligence Agency is upset and saddened or something by his death," Rose droned on, it sounded insincere to the common listener, but she was saddened by the death of Germany's top Spy, "Tell them that our killing of Zhu De is retribution for his death."

"You are valuable," Jennie chuckled, "Thanks for the heads up."

"Not a problem Madam President, and if the death of one of our team members worry the world leaders your working with, don't worry. If worst comes to worse, I'll shoot the fucker in the face," Rose reported cheerfully.

"That's what I like to hear," Jennie nodded.

* * *

><p>"Ok," Rose said, hanging up the phone, "Agent Burkhart's Helicopter was shot down on the RussianChinese Border a few moments ago. That means we have some serious alterations to our plans. Any suggestions, we're the greatest Spies that the NATO Alliance could produce, let's think it over."

MI5 Luker nodded, "Since the even number is broken, one of us stay on the roof and keep it clear, while the other four of us take the lower and top halves of the building. This way we have a way to keep the roof clear for our escape."

"I like it," Rose nodded, "Luker and Baer will take the bottom half of the building, Gulin and I will take the top half and hopefully Zhu De. Johnny, you'll take the roof and keep it clear incase they try to cover our escape."

Johnny nodded, but he quickly turned his head the sound of the disgruntled noise from the British MI6 Agent. If anything, they all expected to know what her complaint would be. It would be something along the lines of why the Russians and the American's would get credit for the assassination of Zhu De.

"Why do the Americans and the Russians get the kill?" Luker shouted.

Rose put her hands on her kids and shared a bemused glance with the Russian Agent. They understood each other and their motivation. The Russian, Gulin, sighed and regarded the MI6 Agent with a stoic glare, "Did the Chinese actively have a role in the designing a plan to destroy the British Economy?"

"Well no, however-…" She sputtered for a moment.

"Did they give money to a domestic terrorist to pay some thugs to hijack and airliner and fly it into Parliament or Buckingham Palace or whatever the hell building the British regard as a National Symbol?" Johnny growled at her.

"That would be _Parliament_, Agent Sindacco." She responded tersely.

"Did they kill your Prime Minister and three fourths of your parliament?" Rose asked, she didn't like to stoke fires between countries. Don't get her wrong, like loved the UK, but there were some things that _needed_ US Control.

"No," She bit back, she felt cornered.

"Did MI6 give you a brief on Project Iron?" Gulin asked the woman.

"Yes they did, what do you think we do? Charge in with guns blazing like the _yanks?_" Luker shouted indignantly, this was really starting to irritate her.

"Hey," Rose yelled, glaring at the MI6 Agent. She crossed a line when it came to name calling, those were fighting words, "Might I remind you, _limey_, that if it were not for us, _Yanks_, not to mention the _Reds_, _pardon the phrase_-…"

She turned to Gulin, who regarded her with a bit of smirk, and then looked back to the smoldering British Secret Service Agent, "…The Island of Great Britain would have _eventually_ become part of the Nazi Empire. The British and French might well be speaking German right now if it were not for us charging in with '_Guns blazing'_. Now I'm not one to flaunt the fact that we, as well as the Russians, quickly overtook the British as Superpowers, but-…"

"You _Americans_," She sneered and crossed her arms over her chest, "You're all so arrogant and you all think that you have some self importance that the rest of the world cannot see. Not the mention the unbridled stupidity."

Rose threw her head back in laughter, "Says the woman from a country that couldn't even defeat the _Egyptians_ without our help. Oh, wasn't it humiliating? Well I know it wasn't personally for you, but it probably was for your parents, you know. Having finally realized that there beloved England couldn't defeat a third would country without the _permission _and _support _of the '_stupid, arrogant, ignorant, self important yanks' _how laughable."

"Watch your mouth-…" The other woman warned.

"You wanted to play the name calling game, I'm playing it," Rose smirked and got closer to the woman. She was good at pressing buttons, this woman's tough act was laughable at best and Rose was not at all intimidated by it, "Tell me, has the sun finally set on the British Empire?"

Gulin smirked at Baer behind them, "I think Agent Long finally just said what we've been dying to say to the British for half a century now."

"Tell that to my parents," Baer noted, "My mother still curses America for not assisting us in the Suez Crisis. She worships the British and the French."

"With the exception of Switzerland, I believe that the UK and France are two of the most _ungrateful_ countries in the world," Gulin shrugged and watched as the British Secret Service Agent and the United States CIA Agent approached each other slowly, "But I was raised to hate them both."

"That's true," Baer nodded, "After all, you were raised a Communist, they were both raised to be Capitalists, you were trained to hate both of them."

"Good point," Gulin snorted.

The pressure was running high and all three of the bystanders began to approach the two women. Rose had both of her hands on her hips and she stared the woman down, "I'm going to tell you what many Great Americans have told the British Government in the past. _Shut the hell up, do as I say, not as I do_! Or was that too stupid for you too understand, huh? _Bitch_?"

Rose pushed the woman's shoulder, in return the other woman pushed Rose's shoulder and from there it kind of …exploded.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I was nervous about writing the last section for a number of reasons. The chief among them was that I have a number of readers that are from the countries that I sort of…well…trashed and emasculated.<strong>

**Let me make something clear, I don't have these feelings in reality (The exception being the Government and some _RUDE_ people of France) I love Britain, I've been there three times in my life and enjoyed every visit. The people were wonderful and it's a beautiful country (_with the exception of the food – I firmly believe that some of the restaurants over there serve dog, but that's just my opinion_). We'll always be two peas in pod, honorary cousins. **

**The Russians and the US will always have an … interesting relationship spawned from the years of 1945 to 1991. I've been to Switzerland and I'm only saying something about them because I mentioned them, that's a gorgeous country. Egypt, two thumbs up! **

**The only countries that I hate in reality are: Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, Iran, Burma, and roughly one quarter of the population of France.**


	13. Chapter 12 – Dancing With Death

**Chapter 12 – Dancing With Death **

Erin gripped the steering wheel as she thought about her next move. How would she do it? How would she get away with it? How the hell could she make them suffer as much as her daughter in-law and mother were suffering right at that moment? There were dozens of ways to achieve _that_ but she was trying to look for the right one. It wasn't even a question of the morality of it or the consequences if she was caught. Erin firmly believed that Morals got in the way a lot of the time, and she laughed at the thought of being caught. She was way too crafty and good to be caught.

Who'd arrest an ageing soccer mom for second degree murder?

"What are you going to do with us, Hunter Hutchinson?" Rebecca asked.

The Hutchinson Heir looked up into the rearview mirror and smiled wickedly at the girl, "I know of this active construction site in the warehouse district of Brooklyn, there are a lot of concrete pits with thick, wet concrete to stick two average people. Don't read too much into that thought Rebecca."

"You are truly worthy of your reputation," Rebecca observed quietly.

Erin smirked, "Yes, I am aware of everything that was written about me and it's all true. I might have evolved into something of a housewife, but by no means am I passive, nor have my abilities been dulled by my old age."

"Threatening to throw someone into a pit of wet cement is by no means of passivity," Rebecca remarked lightly, inwardly she was shaking in fear, but outwardly she was keeping face, "But it might be a sign of possibly insanity."

Scoffing, Erin changed lanes on the highway and turned the cruise control of her car on, so that she could focus mainly on a rebuttal for the stupid girl's argument. She sighed and looked back up the rearview mirror, "If you had access to the scum sucking father of my first born child's records, you would have known that I am perfectly sane. I was born to do this sort of thing, I had been taught to kill before I could walk. And hey -…the one thing I've never done is put a hit on five little kids, you hypocritical little bitch."

"Yes," Rebecca sneered, "You yourself have killed children."

"Bullshit," Erin sneered back, "I never killed kids and if you had ever had kids, you would perfectly understand why. Once a hunter has a child, especially a female hunter, your life and your assignments get complicated."

"Says the opinion of a_ whore_, who left a great man like Huntsman Sindacco to raise a child," She snarled, meeting the green eyes of Erin with equal defiance, "People spoke your mother after you left, but never you."

Erin raised an eyebrow, "You never had a chance did you? Your head has been filled with lies since you were small and you're never going be normal."

"Lies? You call being a shameless whore lies?" The younger woman sneered.

With a sudden burst of movement, Erin looked over her left shoulder and signaled to move onto the side of the road. She hadn't known about the rumors that Paul spread of her until Rose had told them to her decades later, but they hadn't bothered her until that very moment. The poor deluded girl didn't know a damn thing about the truth, but Erin would give her some insight of the 'greatness' of Paul Sindacco.

Putting the car into park, she turned back to the sleeping Daniel and the confused Rebecca and pulled the hair tie from her high pony tail. Running her hand through her black tresses, she felt her scalp for that goddamned scar. It was one of her many mementos from her time with Paul. He had given it to her and when he changed face and was nice to her, he stitched it up. Using both of her hands, she pulled her hair back and showed the long running scar on her head, "Do you see that? Do you see that scar?"

"Yes," Rebecca said, "Did you get it in battle?"

"No," Erin pulled her hands back from her hair and glared at the slightly confused Rebecca, "I got it from Paul Sindacco, that man who you think is great. He threw my head through a wall after I refused to change our kid."

Rebecca recoiled slightly at the shock of her impressions about the Last Huntsman. But Erin pressed forward and this time she leaned forward and opened her mouth to show her teeth. Pointing to the bottom three teeth, she said, "These are all false, the one time I tried to stand up for myself. After he slapped me with my kid in my arms, he ended up knocking those three teeth out. Albeit, I knocked two of his teeth out and broke his nose."

The woman, who had once claimed to be the last Master of the Huntsclan, turned and looked out the window of the car. Imagine what it was like to hear your childhood hero was a snake who beat the mother of his kid. This by no means was some sort of epiphany to make her views align with that of the Huntsgirl and Erin, but it increased her respect for the two women, mostly Erin. With a snort, Erin turned back into her seat and sighed.

"The fact that I had to subject my son to living with that man for the first sixteen years of his life annoys me and pisses me off to no end," Erin yelled to the back of the car, waking Daniel up and stirring Rebecca's attention back to her, "What also pisses me off is that he had a stupid little kids like you two to defend him when in reality he was nothing but a no good bastard who is currently rotting in hell. And for shooting my mother and nearly having my daughter in-law killed, I'm going to send you two there to join him."

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I just want to make clear, I will still be updating on this website, if you go to the link on my profile page, and click on it, you'll get more details on what that group is about. Anyway, leave a review.<strong>


	14. Chapter 13 – Speechless Contemplation

**Chapter 13 – Speechless Contemplation**

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><p>When she looked back on what had been her life to that point, she was flooded with an entire confusing torrent of emotions. From her younger days when she was filled with abandonment issues with her mother, to her teenage days when her mother did away with all of those issues within a solid three month time span. But when she had her first child, that's when life began to change for her, she saw everything differently than she had when she was fifteen. After all, her life at fifteen was incredibly different from the life that she had led at eighteen, and the life she had at eighteen when she had first became a mother was supremely different from the life she now had at the ripe old age of thirty two.<p>

Alyssa knew that she was by no means old, she was only two years into her thirties and she was confident that she had lived enough of a healthy life to live enough time to actually be considered old. But did she want to have seven kids before she was thirty five? Her mother had six children before she was forty, and that made Alyssa laugh inwardly. It's as if she didn't even think about the fact that with just one more pregnancy, she would beat her mother. It wasn't something that she was ashamed of, but she was going to hate being the butt of the running joke that was sure to pop up amongst the family somewhere.

As with almost everything in her life, she thought about her mother and how she would deal with this situation. Her mother was stringently pro-life, that much was clear because of the fact that her uterus was fetus condo for five straight years there. Her mother was the strongest person she knew, she was the Huntsgirl while simultaneously pregnant, she was fighting the Dark Dragon while pregnant and her mother had the fortitude to naturally give birth to twins. Alyssa had given birth to six children of her own. She knew that it was probably a rather nifty trip through hell to push two humans out of her with no medicine. That's how strong she felt Rose to be.

But was Alyssa like that?

Sure, she whipped her husband exactly like her mother did and she loved and mocked her own children like her mother had done with her, but did she have the strength like her mother did. Alyssa didn't know about it.

"Mom," Liza asked quietly as she made her way into her parents bedroom, Luong and the others were outside in the living room, leaving Alyssa to rest, but the youngest of the Sindacco Family was determined to out was bothering her mother, "What did the nurse tell you at the hospital?"

Alyssa stirred up and smiled at her daughter, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Mom," Liza rolled her eyes and jumped up on her parent's bed and quickly crawled up to her mother's side, "Really, what's going on with you?"

The American Dragon looked down to her left and grinned at her daughter and the look of genuine concern. Alyssa sighed, she didn't want to tell Liza, much less any other member of her family for the moment, but from the most she first laid eyes on her only daughter she couldn't resist those big doe eyes. Maybe a seventh one of those things called kids wouldn't be bad for her or Johnny, and maybe a seventh one wouldn't kill her. Alyssa grinned and leaned down to pull her daughter closely to her. She loved this little girl so much and it only made sense to tell her first if her husband wasn't anywhere around, "Do you promise to keep this just between us for now?"

"Sure," Liza nodded, "You're going to tell Daddy anyway, right?"

"When he gets back from his trip with your Grandma, yeah," Alyssa said quietly, "Alright, I'll tell you what the doctor told me before we left the emergency room. You know how babies are made right?"

"When a guy and a girl have sex right?" Liza questioned.

Alyssa's lip twitched upwards, "I'm going to kill your brother's for not watching their mouths around you. _Anyway_, when a woman is pregnant, that mean in nine months, she's going to give birth to a baby. And the nurse at the hospital told me that I've been pregnant for about two weeks now."

She smirked when she felt her daughter's body tense with shock, and she nearly laughed out loud when Liza's shocked face turned to meet her. Alyssa nodded to confirm her only daughter's silent question, "Yes baby, in nine months, you're going to have another brother, or hopefully a little sister."

* * *

><p>"There were some days, where I felt as if I couldn't make it," Jackie said to the ghost, or hallucination of her long dead husband, "But I had Erin and she was truly my rock for a few years there. I know it's silly to think that I relied on an infant to get me through the day, but that's the whole truth."<p>

Nicholas nodded, "Death isn't as black and white as you or some people may think, it was strange to get used too, but I got used to it. You don't evolve into some collective. You're just starting a new chapter in existence."

"How deep of you," Jackie teased, "Become something of a philosopher?"

He snickered at her, "Being eaten by a troll can do that to a person."

When he noticed the slight recoil in her movements, he smiled sadly at her and put up his hand, "And to dispel a long held fear that you've had since you learned that I had been killed. I had not been eaten alive. To the contrary, I had been dead for an entire day before it happened. If it's any consolation, I believe the troll that ate me, died two days later from some sickness that he contracted from me. So, all's well that ended well."

"It didn't have to end," She responded.

"When your numbers up, it's up, it was fate that brought me to that village of trolls and it was a horrible fate," Nicholas reassured her, "It was fate that allowed you to continue on and raise our little girl into that woman that she became today. You survive Jackie, you took care of Erin until she grew up."

Jackie sighed and looked down into her lap, "I failed there too, when Erin was a teenager, I suspected heavily that Sindacco boy that she was going out with was beating her. I didn't do anything about it because I thought that if it were true, Erin could take care of herself, but when I look back-…"

"That is not your fault," He said, stroking her cheek and drawing his fingers under her chin to push it up to meet his eyes, "Erin fought her way out of it and she has the scars to prove it. You raised a sensible woman, but that sensible woman has some issues and I'm afraid that the little bastard who shot you is about to feel the effects of them."

"And what about me, do I get to stay here," Jackie questioned, "I have dreamed of something like this for forty years. Every month I have this recurring dream about the day I found out that you had died. When I'm going to bed that night, you come into the quarters and it's like you hadn't died. And just as I'm about to hug you, I always wake up right before it-…"

She moved closer to her husband, "But if this has been a dream, it's been one hell of a dream. I've got to hug you and kiss you. So, what's the verdict?"

"It's your choice," He said, laying his forehead against hers, "You just need to be aware of something, Erin was your rock, but you were Erin's rock and you are to this day. She's gone practically insane with rage, if you were to get better, you'd save her from become the one thing she ways despised."

Jackie's eyes began to water, "What?"

"Paul Sindacco," Nicolas said, "But once again, it's your choice."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you want to do this?" Robert Green asked his wife as they sat in the seclusion of their kitchen. Their kids and grandchildren were asleep and that left them to absorb everything that had happened to them as people in the last forty eight hours. It was a hell of a lot to absorb.<p>

Caroline, as a former local politician, had the foresight to look ahead and she knew that once the dust was settled, Robert and she would expect to put their re-discovered third child into their will. But here's where the urgency lay. She had the distinct feeling that either Lillian or Bobby would bitch about it, that's why they needed to do it in secret or covertly, away from them, "Ok, we can leave her certain accounts with cash in them."

"I don't know," Caroline regarded her husband dryly, the slight twinge of her southern accent clear in her voice, "You do still seem hesitant to do it."

"Well, I am," Robert nodded, "I love Rose, she's our daughter, but is it fair to suddenly divide everything into a third for someone we've known for about a day. We don't even know if she wants to be included in our will."

Looking at her husband, slack jawed Caroline narrowed her eyes, "What kind of question is that? As I recall dear, your father almost cut you out of his will for proposing to the daughter of an 'enemy' to Country."

Robert snorted, "What?"

"Oh," Caroline looked down at the table, "You don't know do you?"

"I know he threatened to cut me out of his will, but I didn't give a damn, and one day he decides not to," Robert shrugged, "What do you know?"

The woman sighed and leaned back in the chair, her blue eyes focusing on the ceiling of their home as she recalled the memory. She made a pact with her long dead father in-law to never mention this to Robert, but the man was dead and what the hell was he going to do to her beyond the grave, "Two days before our wedding, your father approached me and offered me $250,000 not to marry you. He told me that he could not stand the idea of his precious little boy marrying the daughter of a card carrying member of the Daughter's of the American Confederacy of the South."

"_What_?" Robert stared at his wife in unadulterated shock.

Caroline smirked and got up from the kitchen table, "I know that you said to me that you didn't give a damn what your daddy thought. But in that moment, I thought that there was no better example of _Yankee Trash_ then in that man. He honestly thought that I was nothing but poor white Southern Trash. He didn't account on the fact that my family had more than a few dollars and money was no issue. I'm glad the son of a bitch is dead."

"What about your father?" Robert got up from the table with a mocking expression towards his wife, "Throughout the twenty years that the man was alive after we got married, he never referred to me by my name or even my last name. I swear that he thought my first and last name was _Yankee_."

"What about your mother," Caroline grabbed a bottle of wine from the counter and spun to meet her husband, she began to speak in an exaggerating snobbish tone of well-to-do New Englanders, "_Robert, you're not going to marry the trampy piece of Southern Trash, she's way to good for you and her relatives will cast a shadow so large over us at the country club." _

Robert grinned and broke out into a laugh, "You have her pegged."

Setting the wine bottle back down on the counter, she opened the top cabinet up and withdrew two wineglasses, "Face it dear, we both came from family's that were so caught up with their social standing and looks. You came from a family that wanted to emulate the Kennedy Family, except with fewer children to brainwash. I came from a family that called me a traitor for marrying and breeding with Yankee Stock, not mention contaminating the gene pool."

He took the wine bottle, Caro took the glasses and they proceeded to walk to the porch door. Robert turned back to his wife and smiled at her as they sat down in the chairs, "That's true, but we had each other to survive it."

As Caroline watched her husband pour her a glass of wine, she looked up to him and smiled, "And we'll have each other and our kids to get through this."

* * *

><p>"Rose," Johnny said, pushing the British Secret Agent and the American CIA Agent away from each other, as the two were pulled apart from each other in a hurry. Rose's hair tie had been pulled out by the MI5 Agent and there was already a sporty bruise on the British Woman's Face, "You two need to stop!"<p>

The former Huntsgirl sighed and yanked her arms out of the grip of the Russian Agent behind her. Johnny was right. They couldn't afford to start fighting over the pettiest of matters. The President would have her head if she injured, or much less killed a foreign intelligence officer on board an American Battle Ship. They needed all attention on this mission, drawing her hair behind her ears, she sighed, "Look, I'm sorry for the things I said to you."

"Yeah," Luker said, awkwardly, "Sorry for calling you stupid."

"Sorry for calling you weak," Rose said, glaring at Johnny for making her apologize to the woman.

"All is forgiven, nice right hand by the way," The British MI5 Agent kidded.

Rose looked back to the woman with a bit of a smile, "And you have one hell of a way of pulling hair."

"Ok," Johnny clapped his hands, "I'm glad we've made it up."

"Yes," Gulin agreed, "So are we settled on the original point, the kill will be made by Agent Long and myself. Due to the Chinese attempts on our Governments and our Countries. The Israelis and the British are here purely in a support role for us. Agent Sindacco, he stays on the roof."

Rose nodded, "Let's get ready, and this over with as soon as possible."

* * *

><p>Jake felt stupid sitting there amongst members of the Military as the coordinated this war against the Chinese. He was sitting at a large rectangular table, reading a newspaper of all things. When he was ordered by the Dragon Council to accompany his wife to this battleship, he didn't expect to be reading the Washington Examiner of all things. Sighing, he folded the paper up and set it down on the table.<p>

He jumped when he felt a pair of arms encircle him behind his neck, then he slumped in relief when he saw the wedding ring that he had picked out slipped around the right hand of the right arm, "How are you Dragon Boy?"

"Bored as hell," He leaned back in the chair and looked back up at his wife's face, "Are we going to get on with this thing so we can go home?"

Rose sighed and withdrew her arms, observing the empty seat next to him she sat down and folded her hands over the table. There was a reason that she had come in here, and it wasn't to schmooze around with her whining husband. It was to attend a meeting, "Buckle up Jake, I'm about to head out in a few minutes, I've got the team ready, I've just got to give a report."

"Report?" Jake asked and on cue, that's when the doors to the room opened.

Giving a motion with her hands, Jake and Rose stood up to the meet incoming Generals and Admirals in their dress uniforms walking into the conference room. At the very end of the group was the President of the United States. She looked tired, but any woman who was in her position would look that way. Rose felt sorry for the woman and that's why, in that moment, she made it her mission to end his quickly for the President.

"Madam President," Rose saluted and reached forward to shake the President's extended hand, "I trust that you're hanging in there?"

"Somewhat," Jennie sighed, looking over to Jake, "We received word that your people have begun to dismantle and destroy the active Chinese Nuclear Warheads. We're also receiving threats from the North Koreans about this."

Rose sighed and ran her hand through her hair, "You better have put the fear of god into them, because I will be damned if I have to lead a mission into North Korea to assassinate their leaders. I think I'm going to retire."

"I did," President Eggert nodded and she ignored the incredulous look that Jake gave his wife when the word '_retire_' was mentioned, "I told the North Korean Spokeperson that basically talked down to me and an entire room full of my Generals and Admirals that if I wanted to attack North Korea, at this point in my patience, I would have already blown their capital off the map. And as for that retirement thing, don't think about it to seriously."

Narrowing her eyes, Rose put her hands on her hips, "Why?"

"Because, before the North Koreans started bitching in my ear, I was on the phone with the Director of the CIA for an hour and a half," Jennie said, producing a single leather bound dossier with the emblem of the _United States Department of the Defense_ on it, "I was asking his input on who I wanted to replace Bob Panetta, and he had only shining recommendations."

Rose's eyes went down to the DOD Dossier in the President's hands, and she put two and two together with the President's words, "Bob Panetta was the DOD Secretary, and you went to Director Gordon for advice to replace?"

"Yes," Jennie nodded, "And don't think of what I'm about to tell you as if I made it on Director Gordon's sole and only recommendation. He said that this person has a record for efficiency, strong convictions, skills and a dedication to the security of their country that he had never seen before."

The former Huntsgirl gasped and put her hand on her chest before she looked over to Jake's confused look. The thought occurred to her that she had her children with his man, he could be, or act, stupid when he had the desire to. He slipped his hand around her waist, "Rose, what is it?"

"J-Jake," Rose stuttered and snatched the dossier out of the President's hand and opened it and practically pushed it in her husband's face, "This is an official acknowledgement to become a designee of the President of the United States. This form is given out to those people who are nominated to President's Cabinet. Sh-She wants to nominate me for-… _I can't say it_."

Jake laughed and looked back up the President, "Madam President, if you run for another term, I will vote for you on the sole fact that you just rendered my wife speechless for nominating her for something. What is it that you want her to do that's making her turn that shade of gray?"

President Eggert smirked, "Mr. Long, I thank you for your vote in the mean time. And to answer your question, I want your wife here, Central Intelligence Agency Agent Rose Long to become The Secretary of the Defense Department of the United States Rose Long, that's it."

With that pronouncement, Rose Long, the former Huntsgirl, former Senior Detective for the Los Angeles Police Department, soon to be former Senior CIA Agent and soon to be _Secretary of Defense_ of the United States, fainted, comically, hitting the floor of the USS Ronald Reagan in realization of the turn that her life had just taken.


	15. Chapter 14 – Acknowledgement

**Chapter 14 – Acknowledgement **

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><p>No, it had to be a dream, or at the very least a detailed nightmare. It wasn't so much the thought of become Secretary of Defense that scared the holy shit out of Rose, it was the thought of her life become newsworthy that scared her. The DOD Secretary was a very public person and frankly, Rose wasn't much of a people person. She would be forced to give speeches, meet with world leaders and it would all be videoed and photographed and sent around the world for the media and pundits to criticize, "Rose – Rose, are you okay? Madam President, she's opening her eyes, she's coming around, don't call a medic."<p>

Rose groaned and rubbed the back of her head, "Where the hell am I?"

"You're aboard the USS Ronald Reagan," Jake said, rubbing his wife's forehead comfortingly, "And when the President told you that she wanted to give you a job after you retired from the CIA, you fainted."

Using her husband to push herself up from the ground, Rose sighed and rubbed her forehead. Her headache was monstrous and she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep until she killed Zhu De. But she had to confront the source of her headache. It was the blue, leather bound dossier that was in the President's hand. If she took it, she signed that document with her name. She would be in the running to become the Secretary of Defense. Her life would take a 180 degree turn. With the fact that the nation and most of the congress would be astoundingly loyal to the President for a time, she knew that she would be confirmed in a second. But did she want to have her life thrust into the public spotlight? All for the sake of becoming the second most powerful person in the chain of command for the Armed Forces of the US?

She wouldn't mind become Secretary of Defense, in fact she was sure that she could do one hell of a job, but she didn't want to make her family's life a living hell for the sake of a job. When she was steadily back on her feet, she looked back to the President, "Tell me that I didn't hallucinate before everything went black, but did you just present with forms to officially nominate me for _Secretary of Defense_?"

"Well, it was either that, or I'd save you to appoint you as my National Security Advisor," President Eggert shrugged with a bit of a smile, "But I thought that you'd have more fun with this."

Rose sighed and looked back to her husband, "And what do you have to say about this? You didn't like it when I joined the CIA, but now when the_ President of the United States _offers me the job as _Chief of Defenses_ for the _entire_ country and as second in command of the _entire_ United States Military, what possible objections do you have to this? I know you have some serious objections to all of this Dragon Boy."

"I do," Jake said in a whispered tone and he motioned her closer to him, "When are we going to finally slow down, finish raising our kids and ride swiftly into the sunset?"

"I'll tell you what," Rose smiled at him, "I understand and I was going to retire from the CIA after this mission because of those reasons, but I can't turn this down. So – If I agree to do this, I'll do it for a set period of time and then I will retire. Now if there's a certain amount of time that you could stand me being Secretary of Defense, I'm going to need it right now, because I'm going to go over there and sign."

Folding his arms over his chest, he looked over his wife's shoulder and looked at the President who was chatting with a General. He sighed and looked down to his wife's inquisitive eyes. No matter what he did, he couldn't stop this woman from doing anything, he should have learned that by now, but she was willing to compromise with him and Jake knew that's was the best that he would get. He had to force a smile onto his face, "Alright, no more than eight years. You won't make this into a rest of your lifetime appointment, no more than eight years, Rose. Do you hear me?"

"I'll do you one better," Rose said, turning on her heel and marching to the President, "Madam President, I'll be your Secretary of Defense."

President Eggert smiled and handed her a pen in one hand and the leather bound dossier in the other, "Great, just sign the forms and I'll deliver them to the House as soon as we return to Washington DC."

"Under the express condition that I serve no more than four years and that if I want to, I can leave in those four years?" Rose added as she took the dossier and the pen.

"That's perfectly fine," President Eggert nodded and smiled as Rose opened the folder and leaned over the table to sign her name to the forms, "I just want you on my team for a little while."

Rose nodded and put the cap back on the pen after closing the folder and handing it back to the President. She could not believe that she had just done that. Odds were that by the end of the week, her official Government title would be _United States Secretary of Defense_, Rose Long. Turning back on her heel, she shifted her hand nervously through her hair and turned back to her husband who was smiling adoringly at her. Rose narrowed her eyes and mouthed the words, "_Shut up_."

Jake just kept smiling

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><p><strong>Authors Note: Just for your piece of mind and mine, it isn't farfetched for a CIA Agent to be directly elevated to the Secretary of Defense. The last one, Robert Gates, was a CIA Agent for nearly twenty years before Presidents Bush and Obama hired him on and kept him as DOD Secretary. So there's nothing saying that Rose couldn't be the Secretary of DOD. Leave a review please!<strong>


	16. Chapter 15 – Reassurance

**Chapter 15 – Reassurance**

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><p>She had lived the ideal lifestyle and childhood and her childhood home was the perfect embodiment of that ideal.<p>

Her parents home had always been lovely to her, she loved growing up in it and she loved coming back to visit it. It was a right on Lake Mahopac in Putnam Country and in the years since it was built, it was one of the most disguised homes in the local community. It wasn't just a home. Lillian had realized that long ago, it was more of an estate. The extreme amounts of privacy and its resort level luxury that the house afforded its occupants attributed that word to describe her parent's home. Rich in character, the colonial style home was framed by a beautifully planted setting, enhanced with an expansive screened porch.

To top off her love for the home, in the large, expansive backyard was a large waterside stone terrace, dock, stone boathouse and tennis court. She remembered her childhood here, with direct access to the beautiful Lake Mahopac, she had always loved swimming. Her parents loved the lake too, and that's why she knew she would find them at their usual post, outside, drinking a glass of wine out on the stone terrace that overlooked the lake. The sun was going down over the horizon and the sky was filled with a pale, orange light. Lillian, dressed in a simple, white terrycloth robe, walked down the polished path that sat between the nicely cut manicured grass and towards the steps that would take her to the terrace. It was the picturesque, sight of the ultimate stage of the American Dream.

She saw her parents sitting comfortably into two chairs, engaged in a conversation and sipping wine. Lillian always envied her parents in that they lived a dream life of relaxation. They had been living this life before she was born. When she graduated from High School, her goals that she wrote in the year book where to end up exactly how her parents did. That's how well they had it. Making her way up the steps, she hiked up the bottom inch of her robe and made her way to the top of the terrace. She smiled and took a seat in one of the two empty chairs that sat on top of the terrace, "There better be some left."

"Enough for a glass," Robert commented dryly as he handed his own empty glass to his daughter, "I'm done anyway, you can have my glass."

Lillian nodded and took the wine bottle from her mother's outstretched hands and poured some of the drink into the glass. She spied her parents with a wry glance, "So …how are you two doing?"

"Darlin, we're still in shock," Caroline said, before taking a long drink of her glass, "And I think we will be for very long time."

Lillian nodded and looked out over the gently stirring lake. Her memories of this place were some of the best in her life. When she was seven, she and her father stood from this terrace, he would pick her up and throw her into the lake and she would swim back to land. When her cousins came, her parents would rent a pontoon boat and cruise the lake for the entire day. But all of those memories, every single one of them was being reviewed in her head, and they were all being rethought. She was trying to replay them in her head and imagine what they would be like with a sister, or with the fact that her newly discovered sister was her older twin, two of her, "Lillian, your mother and me were talking before you came out here and we kind of wanted to know something, were we good parents to you and Bobby?"

"Of course you were Daddy," Lillian answered incredulously, taking a deep sip of her wine, "What makes you think otherwise?"

"Well," Caroline answered for her husband, "We let Rose be kidnapped, and I suppose it's kind of farfetched to get bad parenting from that, but we just have to know if you guys turned out okay."

"Mama, Daddy," Lillian leaned forward in her seat and stared at them with a serious expression, "Bobby and I have our Law Degrees from _Harvard_, we have licenses to practice law throughout the entire state, we are accomplished lawyers and we followed in your footsteps. Between the two of us and the cases that we take on every year we make huge chunks of change, last year we make a combined $5,000,000 in settlements. Yes, I'm divorced and Bobby's a widow, but we gave you three wonderful grandchildren who are continuing the family legacy of being productive members of society. Jackson is continuing the legacy we left at _Harvard_by getting his masters degree in Economics, it's not law, but it's a prestigious job and you should be proud of him for that. Vivian is at_Yale_ for her Law Degree. Pete is in _Yale_ for his engineering degree. So you know, I think that we've got one hell of a gene pool compared to the country and world."

Caroline nodded and looked back to her husband, "Not to mention what we know about our third child and other daughter."

"That's right," Lillian nodded to her father, "Rose is a Senior Operative of the _United States Central Intelligence Agency_, on top of everything that her six children could be. I think you two have unleashed a family of super people on the world. We're lawyers, engineers and classic spies."

Robert smiled at his daughter in adoration, "You make one hell of a point Lills, I'm sorry I even thought about it."

"You shouldn't think that you failed," Lillian pressed on with a passion, she felt strongly about her family and the way her family raised her, "If anything, the only thing you and Mama are guilty of telling us that we could do anything that we wanted. You encouraged us to be lawyers, and we did everything we could to become the most successful lawyers we could be. You guys did a great job with parenting us."

* * *

><p>DJ picked himself up from the couch and walked to the telephone that was ringing loudly on the counter. Marissa had gone back to sleep and he was watching the news and absorbing what was happening in China and in the back of his mind, he realized that his mother was indeed in the thick of it. Sighing, he picked up the phone and held it up to his ear, "Hello?"<p>

"Hi-…Uhm, My name's Caroline Green," A woman, apparently named Caroline, asked confused, "I was given this number by my daughter, Rose Long? Is she available at the moment?"

The look on DJ's face was that of unbridled shock, he narrowed his eyes and his jaw dropped in confusion at the woman's words, "I'm sorry, I'm her son, I've been her son for sixteen, going on seventeen years, and while I am aware that everyone on this planet who is alive has a mother or a father, my mother didn't know her mother and father, so incase somebody has kept me out of the loop, I have to assume that this is some prank call or vicious lie. So I'm going to say this bluntly, who the hell are you and why are you trying to give me a very bad lie by saying you're my Grandmother?"

"You're the boy that was in Rose's hospital room aren't you? The one she threatened to kill for smoking cigarettes?" Caroline asked with a bit of a laugh in her voice.

"Oh – Oh! Now I remember, I've had so much go on in the past day that I basically had forgotten about you," DJ rubbed his forehead and embarrassment, "I'm sorry – I've just been stressed to the max."

"Don't worry about it honey," Caroline laughed lightly, reveling in the fact that she had six new grandchildren and she was speaking to one of them, "I was just calling and checking to see how your mom is?"

DJ scratched the back of his head, "I'm sorry, G-Grandma, she's a bit busy with her job, incase you haven't been watching the news, we're at war with China."

"Oh, I know," Caroline sounded utterly disappointed and she failed horribly at hiding it, "Just tell her that I called – now what about you?"

"Uh, just sitting here at home," DJ had to realize that he wasn't talking to a stranger on the phone, he was talking to his grandmother of all people and he didn't need to be afraid of that, "You know – This is all too weird for me, I didn't grow up having a Grandmother and it'll take a little while before we can have that relationship. I mean you and my younger brothers and sister might hit it off right away, but it'll be a little while before my big sister and I cozy up to you and be the adorable, grandchild? Do you understand that?"

Caroline was silent and DJ was afraid for a split second that he had offended or ticked off his Grandmother, but when she began to laugh, he sighed contently and slumped against the counter, "I just heard my own Mama in your words. I'll leave you alone kid and I'll keep what you said in mind, just tell your Mama that I called when she gets back from what she was doing."

DJ sighed and nodded, "I will."

* * *

><p><strong>Happy 4th of July!<strong>

**In case you don't know, for international readers, that's our independence day. It's something like Bastille Day in France, expect we didn't go all berserk and cut people's heads off and put them on pikes and dance in the street. We submitted our written, clear and concise demand for Independence from the British Empire. Happy Birthday America!**

_**"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable Rights; that among these, are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness; that to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." – The United States Declaration of Independence.**_

**Leave a review please **


	17. Chapter 16 – Moving Out

**Chapter 16 – Moving Out**

Crossing her legs, she settled beside her husband as the President moved to the head of the table to address the Generals and Admirals of the United States Armed Forces. It didn't occur to her until the President arrived at the head of the table that all of those men sitting at the table would be answering to both to the President and her within a week. She had little doubt that she would be confirmed, and once that happen, her life would be turned upside down for a time. Not only would she have to commute back and forth from Washington to New York, every day, and most likely by a Government Jet, but she would have to deal with everything from briefing the President at the White House to threatening belligerent foreign leaders.

Secretary of Defense Rose Long, she rather liked the sound of that, yes she could get used to that. Not only had she cemented herself in the folklore of the Magical World, but she had built herself a record where – as long as the United States Defense Department existed – her name would always be remembered, "Gentleman, I want take the time to introduce you to the leader of this mission to assassinate Chairman Zhu De, CIA Agent, Rose Long, who just signed papers to become the next Defense Secretary."

Rose stood up and looked around at the Generals and Admirals as they took her in, President Eggert motioned to her with a smile, "Secretary Designate Rose Long will now brief you on this mission into the Chinese Capitol."

"Thank you Madam President," Rose nodded and got up from her seat to move to the head of the table, she grasped the leather bound dossier tightly and nervously, "Generals, Admirals, after this report we will move out on a flotilla of Blackhawk Helicopters. With a mixed team of International Intelligence Agents, we will be taken to the Communist Party Headquarters, Agent Luker and Mossad Agent Baer will take the bottom half of the building and Agent Gulin and myself will take the top half of the build with our end objective to be Zhu De. Agent Sindacco will remain on the roof to clear it"

"What if Zhu De isn't there?" One of the Admirals asked her quietly.

"We have a back up plan in that event," She responded, "The Air Force has prepared 300 F-16's to be brought from Japan, the Pacific Fleet and Military Bases from the Philippines. To be blunt, if Zhu De isn't in that building when we are there, we will completely level the known political centers of Beijing."

The Generals and Admirals nodded their approval in the plan and turned back to the CIA Agent – soon to be Secretary of Defense. One of the Admirals, dressed in white dress uniform, raised his hand. Rose pointed to the man and put a patient smile on her face, "Yes Admiral …Peters?"

"This is a question about your appointment, Madam Secretary Designate, and I hope that you won't take offence to it. You're CIA, you're an Intelligence Agent, but you're not military. Are you going to purposely hand off all of the heavy lifting to the CIA?" Admiral Peters asked, his voice was flat and Rose knew that was sign of withheld curiosity.

Rose smiled again, "Gentleman, I've always held a massive respect for the United States Military, I always knew that there was not a group on Earth that could do what you people have done for this world. If I am confirmed as Secretary, I will defer the necessary things to the CIA and the FBI, other wise I'll utilize the resources of the Military to the highest extent, okay?"

"How will you live down the reputation of being the first female Secretary of Defense?" The Admiral asked with a tinge of humor in his voice.

"Again, I may be a knockout blonde with blue eyes," Rose smirked and shared a glance with her husband, who promptly smirked, "But if you knew my past and what I'm capable of, you'll know that I am just as tough as any man that can hold the job as Secretary of DOD. Now if there is anything else Gentleman, I think I have a little something to do."

* * *

><p>Jake looked at his wife with pure adoration, she was everything that he could have wanted in a woman. Well, maybe tone it down just a tad, but he didn't judge her for her enthusiasm. She was raised around it. She was raised to be enthusiastic about what she was doing. There, standing on the deck of the USS Ronald Reagan with the President and the American Generals and Admirals, he watched his wife, his son in-law and the others.<p>

Strolling out of the heart of the ship, dressed in combat fatigue and her hair tied back in a skin tight bun and an assault rifle around her neck, Rose carried herself with mind blowing amounts of self confidence. While the rest of the Intelligence Agents, and Johnny, wore helmets, she wore a pair of thick sunglasses. He was going to get her for her ego later.

"Madam President," Jake whispered in the Presidents ear, "Have you heard anything from my people?"

President Eggert turned to him, "The CIA has reported massive explosions at known Chinese ICMB and Nuclear Facilities. When they refocused the satellites, they saw your people. They're fulfilling the part in the bargain."

"Good," Jake pulled back, just in time to watch his wife stroll past them with a cocky smile on her face. He smiled as she saluted the President sharply and then much to his surprise, she broke formation and came to him.

Standing on her tip toes, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek before smirking, "Duty calls, Dragon Boy, promise you'll be here when I get back?"

"Rose," Jake began, "I don't think I could ever escape you if tried."

She smiled and nodded, "It's good that you know that."

"Alright," Jake nodded, "Go get em' Huntsgirl."

* * *

><p>Johnny knew two things, one, he never expected to be here in his life. He never expected to have a career like this, but his mother in-law and given him one. Two, he wanted his marriage to be as his in-law's marriage had been. He observed them with a bit of a smile from the body of the Black Hawk Helicopter, but he quickly wiped it off of his face as Rose broke away from Jake and came striding to the Helicopter. She'd prod him relentlessly for information that he'd be way too embarrassed to give, "What?"<p>

"What?" Johnny asked, backing off of his mother in-law's scream.

"You had the stupidest grin on your face for a moment there and then you got rid of it as I turned around," Rose thumped him on the head, "You think I don't see these things don't you kid? Well I'm the all seeing mother."

"I just -…want me and Lyss to have that sort of thing," Johnny relented.

For a moment, Rose didn't say anything, her mouth stayed frozen at a solid line and then it burst. Rose's mouth contorted into a heavy smile, and her laughter was so loud that it seemed to be louder than the sound of the rotor blades, "Oh please, you want to fall in love with each other in middle school, dance around each other for a year, discover that you're mortal enemies, have that classic High School Romance, become parents at seventeen. Be separated for 15 Years and have five kids and never a moment's peace?"

"Well," Johnny said, buckling himself in the seat, "When you say it like-…"

"There are no if, ands, or buts, it may seem rosy to the outside world, but there are frequent cases of friction in our marriage," She said, sitting down in the seat next to Johnny and buckling himself in, "Now let's stop talking about that, we have a job to do and we need to focus expressly on that."

Johnny nodded and blew out a large sigh, "That's right."


	18. Chapter 17 – Memories of a Bruised Past

**Chapter 17 – Memories of a Bruised Past **

Lillian sat on the floor of the stone terrace that overlooked the lake and took in the silence. She had been out here two hours after her parents had gone back to bed, and now she was just having some alone time. The moon was soothing to her. With its light reflecting over the water it seemed to double its affect. That's why she loved being out here and away from the city, that's why this was the first place she had gone too after her marriage to her ex-Husband had fell in. Again, it was the mystic that her childhood home had. Just thinking about that day made her shiver. It made her shiver with elation, anger, sadness, joy and self pity. When she caught her Husband cheating on her, it made her doubt herself and it took her years to finally get over everything, while simultaneously in a long divorce with him.

_**Ten Years Ago, Downtown Manhattan, Penthouse of Donald Montgomery and Lillian Green-Montgomery**_

_Raising her sunglasses as she entered the building, she made sure to keep her two young sons in her sightline before going to the man at the front desk. She smiled brilliantly, "Dan, I got a call from my kid's school and it got canceled for the day. Is Donald up there in the Penthouse or is he at work?" _

_Dan looked up at Mrs. Lillian Montgomery and a puzzled glance came over his face as he looked at the two little boys, Jackson and Peter and back to the woman, who's face contorted into a suspicious frown, "What is it, Dan?" _

"_Mrs. Montgomery," Dan said, "I thought you were with Mr. Montgomery, he went up to the Penthouse with a blonde woman who looked similar to you." _

_A sharp pain went through Lillian's insides as the realization of her worst fears came through her. She had long suspected that her husband had been cheating on her, but the very fact that he was doing it in their home? That was over the line and she had finally had enough. If anything, she stayed for the kid's sake and that cliché was as old and dead as her marriage was. It took her a moment to compose herself. Turning on her heels, she fiddled with her keychain in her right hand before turning back to the doorman with a heavy scowl, "If I'm not back down here in at least a half and hour, I want you to call the police, because I've either killed her or him. And do you think you can watch my boys while I go and take care of what's going on there?" _

_Dan nodded, "Sure I can, best of luck Mrs. Montgomery."_

"_That's Ms. Green to you," Lillian said before turning back to the elevator. _

_When she arrived to her two quiet sons, she offered them a patient smile that gave them the false impression that everything was alright. She knew that they knew something was wrong, but she wouldn't openly admit it for the moment. Peter and Jackson looked up to her with their big blue eyes and Peter, always the mother's boy of the two, was the first to ask the question that was on both of their minds, "Mom, w-what's going on?" _

_Lillian sunk down to her haunches, "Uh, there's something going on up in the house, I need to go up there alone. So I want you two to go and wait with Dan until I come back. Don't worry guys. Everything is going to be alright." _

"_Oh, ok," Both Peter and Jackson replied meekly to their mother._

* * *

><p><em>Sighing as the elevator door that led directly into their penthouse opened, Lillian pulled her sunglasses off of her head, folded them up and held them tightly in her hands. When she stepped off of the elevator, she was hit by the, grunts, groans and moans of a male in a female. This meant three things, either someone was watching porn in her home, someone was filming porn in her home or her husband was screwing the hell out of the woman that he had been seen coming up here with.<em>

_Scowling, she marched through the lavish living room, her long blonde hair caught on a slight engineered breeze coming from the Central Air Unit as she marched down the hall and to the right. Not bothering to knock, she opened the door to the bedroom and stood in the doorway. There, wrapped in a quilt that her grandmother had given her, was her husband Donald and his secretary. She never thought that her life and her marriage would turn out to be one of those clichés of spouses having affairs with Secretaries, but it did, "Oh my god, if you two are going to fuck, don't fuck on the quilt that my dead grandmother made me when I was a baby." _

"_Lillian," Donald pulled back from his secretary in surprise, "Wha-…" _

"_Oh, I'm home honey, I'm sorry, just finish, pretend like I'm not here, I'll just be packing up some of my shit," Lillian said, walking to their large walk in closet, "And I meant it, please get the fuck off of that quilt, it's mine." _

_Donald nodded to his secretary and the quietly moved off of the ornately made blanket made by Lillian's Grandmother thirty five years ago. He sighed and looked down at the surface of the bed and the sheet that now covered himself and his secretary. He never meant for all of this to happen, he still loved Lillian and he didn't want to do anything to hurt her, but the logical flaw in that was he had been hurting her. Shaking his head, he turned a distasteful sneer towards his secretary and he moved to put his undershorts back on, "Lillian, please, we can work this entire thing out. I don't want to-…" _

"_Don," Lillian said calmly from the closet, she was putting things into a small bag that included some family heirloom pieces of jewelry, "I think this ended a long time ago. I don't want to be bitter, let's just put this all behind this, divorce each other and keep things stable for Peter and Jackson that okay?" _

_He got up and walked into the closet, "You're not taking my kids from me." _

"_Why would I want them here? So they can be around while you shift the whores that you fuck every other day?" Lillian screamed at her soon to be ex. _

_He sighed deeply again, "Are you going to your parents?" _

"_Yeah," Lillian said, throwing some of her clothes into a bag, followed by a few pairs of her shoes and boots, "I'll be back tomorrow for some of their things and more of mine. I'm just glad that this happened when they were on their break in school. Don't touch any of my jewelry, personal things or my family pictures or I will sue you for everything that you have. Do you understand?" _

_Don nodded, "When do you want to meet to file and discuss splitting things?" _

"_Monday," Lillian simply stated, "I'll give you a call." _

"_Are we going to do this civilly, or am I going to have to get a lawyer when we go into divorce court?" He asked quietly, he felt ashamed. He wasn't taunting, or belittling in his words, he just knew his soon to be ex-wife and he knew that when she went to battle, she went to battle with all guns out. _

_Lillian turned, "I don't want much Don, I can take care of myself and the boys, but I'll tell you what I want now. I want you to pay for the kids College. I want everything that's mine in this Penthouse, all my clothes, all my jewelry, when we sell this place, or when you sell this place, I want half of what you get. Nothing more, no alimony, no money settlement, just that, all I want." _

"_And the kids, what about them?" Don asked, despite everything, despite his marriage breaking apart, Peter and Jackson were weighing heavily on him. _

_Lillian sighed and slipped the large duffle bag around her shoulder, "I have primary custody and you give up your parental rights, provided that I give you enough time with them. How does that sound?" _

"_This isn't the time for your legal mumbo-jumbo," He sighed. _

"_Oh my god, I'm talking to you as if we're having a normal conversation! I walked in on you having sex with another woman," Lillian screeched and pushed him out of the way, "We'll discuss custody of the kids on Monday, but for now they are going upstate with me and we're going to stay with my parents." _

_Don sighed and folded his arms over his chest as he watched his beautiful, gorgeous, soon to be ex-wife pick the quilt up off of the bed and begin to fold it. She handled it between her fingers and gagged suddenly. Lillian looked back to him and then to his 'associate' and then back to the blanket, "Just so I know, you two didn't, how can I put this gently, mark your territory on this, because in that event, I'll wash it." _

"_I'd wash it," Don answered quickly. _

_Lillian sighed and folded it up, before she quickly unbuckled the duffle bag and placed it in it gently in the middle. She sighed and slipped it back over her shoulder. She looked back to the secretary who was holding a sheet over her body, and rather awkwardly at that, "He's all yours now." _

* * *

><p><em>Rubbing her forearms gently, she looked at the panel on the side of the elevator and silently counted down until she reached the bottom floor. It would take everything she had to keep a straight face for her boys, but she had to do it, she didn't want to wreck their lives any more than she had to. A divorce would hurt them enough, seeing as they were very close to their father, at least Jackson was. Before she knew it, she was on the bottom floor and the elevator doors opened.<em>

_Plastering a fake smile on her face, she walked from the elevator to the front desk and greeted her kids, "I'm back, were you two good for Dan?" _

_Peter and Jackson nodded enthusiastically, "He gave us some candy." _

_Lillian spied Dan with a mocking glare, "You in the revenge business are what we call 'next' but thanks for buying my kids affection." _

_Laughing, Dan looked down to Peter and Jackson, "They're great." _

_Nodding, Lillian put her hands on her hips, "Now guys, we're going to take a trip up to Grandma and Grandpa's does that sound fun?" _

* * *

><p>She and Donald had divorced amicably, and things turned out better than expected. Donald, who was a manager of a Wall Street Hedge fund firm, had established a trust for Peter and Jackson to the tune of $8,000,000 to pay for every single thing that they would need for their education, books, boarding, on campus housing, tuition and thesis related things. For a kid in Harvard and Yale, that could run up rather high. The last time she talked to Don, he told her that payments to both of the Ivy League Schools totaled to about $3,000,000 each. One of the better things about the outcome of her divorce, she didn't have to shell that much out.<p>

Lillian got to keep everything that was hers and everything that he had bought for her in their thirteen year marriage. The Penthouse had sold for a poultry $30,000,000, to which she received $15,000,000 as agreed to, best of all, she got to keep her $300,000 Wedding Ring. It had lost it's meaning to why she bought it in the first place, but it hadn't lost it the second meaning of why she bought it, and that's why she wanted to keep it. Lillian fondly looked down to her right ring finger and watched the large Diamond Encrusted surface sparkling in the moonlight.

The divorce hadn't been that bitter either, after they were officially separated, they became friends again. They attended everything from Jackson and Peter's High School Graduation together, to the presentation of their theses at College. Over all, life hadn't really shit on her. She even joined her father's law practice after twenty years of him begging her to do it, where she earned a good living and with the occasional murder trial, she got to work with her father and brother.

Life was good for the most part, and now she had a big sister.

She jumped when she felt two people sit next to her and it scared the hell out of her because she had been so relaxed and caught in her thoughts that she didn't hear them. Putting her hand on her chest, she laughed and gently slapped both Peter and Jackson on the arms, "Don't do that to me! You two did all the time when you were kids and I _really _hated it then!"

"Sorry Mom," Jackson grinned and leaned closer to his mom to lay his head on her shoulder, while Peter laid his chin on her left shoulder, "Vivi woke all of us up, she decided to watch the news and she's been cursing out the Chinese, Uncle Bobby told us that you were out here and we decided to come out and see you, how have you been? Thinking a lot?"

Lillian shrugged and she kept her vision out on the lake, "I don't know, I'm thinking of your newly found Aunt, and what life will be like now."

"I heard Grandma talking about her eldest daughter," Peter chuckled and then contently sighed, "I think Vivi and her will get along very well."

"Well, your Uncle never listened to me when I told him that girl should have been put on Prozac," Lillian giggled slightly, "I doubt my sister would put her daughter on Prozac, so I think they'll be like two peas in a pod. But, alas, I will never know, I had the fortune of never having a daughter, I had two boys who treated me like a queen and never talked back."

"Hear that Jack? We never talked back to her," Peter smiled to his brother.

"Bullshit," Jackson smiled, "Oh wait-…-I remember now! We talked back _behind_ your back we after you stormed off. So, Pete, I think your right."

Lillian rolled her eyes, "You know, you two can be just total smart asses when you want to be, and you should watch your back. I am your mother, you were ripped out of me, I dressed you, I potty trained you, I wiped your butts when you pooped in your diapers and I've seen you two go through Puberty. I have dirt on you that will make you cry, I also know more…"

Peter rolled his eyes, "And what is that Mom?"

"I know that where your tickle spots are," Lillian said, before she spun around and began to tickle her two grown kids on their chests.

The two fell down on the terrace, laughing from their mother's assault.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: I wanted to do something fluffish, just for a change of pace and I wanted to give a deeper back story to Rose's siblings. I'll get to her brother soon. And I am thinking about breaking the last portions of this story off into a different story to cover Rose's new job and her experience with her family. I don't know if I'll do it yet, what do you think?<strong>


	19. Chapter 18 – Striking Back

**Chapter 18 – Striking Back **

* * *

><p>The group of fifteen helicopters was of brand news design. They were the brand new concept from the best of the United States Intelligence Services. The exterior of the newest model of the Blackhawk Helicopters was specifically designed to deflect radar and the front and rear rotors were shortened to make them virtually noiseless. So in the middle of the night, they would not have been noticed. The sun was due to be up in an hour and a half, and that meant that they needed to move quickly. Rose, who was growing anxious, lowered her binoculars and held up her microphone. It was a direct line to the other fourteen Helicopters.<p>

"Team A: Execute operations," Rose ordered, keeping her eyes on the large, triangular building that was the Chinese Communist Party Headquarters, "Destroy all visibly marked entrances and exits. Team B: Once all of the Entrance and Exits are destroyed, land in the court yard of the building and take out all guards that come to the leader's aid. Keep the copter close to make your escape."

Nodding to Johnny, who was standing right next to her, he headed to the cockpit of the Helicopter to inform the pilot that they were ready to be set down. Rose turned back and kept her eyes on the roof, ignoring the rockets that were now being fired from the several of the Helicopters. She held the microphone back up to her mouth, "The rest of you, move in a circular pattern around the area, give Team B all the cover they'll need because when word gets out to the local police, they'll be here all in force."

"What about the Military?" One of the captains asked her.

"The Russian's are storming the Northern end of the city, we don't have to worry about them, but we will have to worry about the Beijing Police," Rose said with a little bit of a laugh, "Give Team B a good amount of cover, we're going to set down on the roof and go in there to do it. If we're not out of that building in an hour, you have your clearance to blow it straight to hell, understood?"

A deafening silence came through intelligence agents as the Blackhawk neared the roof and it was so thick that you could cut it with a knife when the microphone sounded off the other team member's affirmation. Taking in a deep breath, Rose sighed and grasped the large assault weapon that was around her shoulder. She was getting too old for this, she had six children and six grandchildren, and she couldn't afford to play the role of cowboy anymore. Oh yes, she decided firmly as the wheels of the chopper hit the roof of the building, she was thankful for the fact that she was going into a much more quiet job, albeit more demanding, but it would be quieter compared to this. And she'd get perks.

Yes, as far as she was concerned, this was her last rodeo. It was surreal to her, but she promised herself one thing.

She was going to have real _fun_ with it.

* * *

><p>Gripping the automatic glock pistol tighter, Rose signaled for the British Agent and Israeli Mossad Agent to break left from them, Agent Gulin and she went right from them. When they arrived at the end of the corridor, she held up a finger to the Russian Agent. Peaking her head ever so slightly around the corner, she saw two Chinese Policeman holding two assault rifles and observing what was going on outside on the corridor. If she guessed right, it would be the men of Team B, blowing half of the Beijing Police Force straight to hell. Not taking her eyes off of the men, she held up her hand to the Russian Agent and made hand signals that told him that there were two men, and with Assault Rifles. Then she made a sweeping motion for him to go.<p>

When she saw the Russian Agent move into a shooting position, she brought her weapon into the sight line of the two police officers. Making a clenching motion with her free hand, she fired a bullet into one of the officer's heads and the Russian killed the other, "That Elevator will take us to Zhu De's office, there is a stretch of hallway up there, and it's bound to be covered by more guards."

"I'll take the ones on the left," Gulin said with a heavy Russian Accent.

* * *

><p>The Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and the President of the People's Republic of China was upset. He was so upset to the point that he had practically destroyed his office. The tantrum had come from news that the silos that held his Nuclear Stockpile had been completely destroyed. In essence, somehow, someway, the American's and their allies had found a way to de-claw him. Now everything was crumbling.<p>

If all of the reports were true, the Russians now had control of virtually 25 percent of the city, and that quarter of the city was an important one, such as the one he was in was. In a bad turn of fate, the Russians had managed to capture the Great Hall of the People and most of the Legislature. He was the judge, jury and executioner in what was left of the People's Republic of China. For whatever it was worth, he could only order the remaining Military to fight on. They had been so devastated by the Russian Advance that he had to completely ignore the fact that the American's had already seized control two fifths of the country, with the Russians quickly emerging on their two fifths.

From his office window, he saw the burning buildings from the Russian held portions of the capitol and he felt his fists clench in unbridled anger at the sight. He couldn't do a damn thing about it. The Military was busy and rocketing down the path to defeat, his legislator was gone, his only card to play, his Nuclear Weapons, was gone, the Economy had been _gutted _from the moment the US President had announced his backing and funding of the attack on their Capitol.

Apparently the businessmen of China and international markets understood what US Reaction would be and had quickly fled back to the Worlds Most Powerful Nation. It angered him, but it came to him as no surprise. It also angered him that virtually overnight America's Economic Woes were quickly being cured with China's Death.

But once again, there was nothing he could do about it.

But he wouldn't come to them they'd have to come to him.

He was the President of China after all.

* * *

><p>Johnny spun on his heel and with quick speed and he shot guard, after guard that made the mistake of coming onto the roof. He wasn't his mother, he wasn't his father and he sure as hell wasn't his mother in-law, he was something else entirely and he was nearly as good as them. He heard the fire fight from bellow and when he walked over to the side of the building he was relieved to see that the large force of the US Navy Seals was not bogged down by the Beijing Police.<p>

In fact, the more he stood there, the more the numbers went in favor of the US Side. He wasn't good with statistics, but he was quite sure that forty five of the United States best trained Special Forces Members could easily take down five hundred of Beijing's finest.

When his ears perked back from that Huntsclan-ish ability to sense surroundings, he spun back on his heel and brought his gun up to shoot another guard who tried to get on the roof. The poor bastard didn't even get a chance to blink before the bullet entered his head.

Johnny smirked and turned back down to watch the fight between the local police and the Navy Seals.

Oh yes, he knew that he was going really enjoy this job.

* * *

><p>Elbowing the last guard in the jaw, Gulin shoved him to Rose who promptly put both of her hands on his skull and twisted it. With a sickening crunch from his neck, the man fell to the floor and to her feet. She sighed and holstered her glock. She nodded to Gulin, "Turn that camera on your helmet on – it's a live feed to the control centre on the Reagan."<p>

Gulin nodded and pressed the button on the side of the camera that was attached to his helmet. Rose watched as the light on the side of the camera turned from red to green and that was her indication of connection to the Reagan and the President probably was seeing it.

"Madam President, we've arrived at his office," Rose began.

"The teams on the other fourteen Blackhawks are holding off the Beijing Police," Rose's grainy picture said on the screen that was lowered in the middle of the tense command centre, "As far as I know, they have incurred no casualties. We've incurred on casualties and Agent's Luker and Baer reported in a little while ago, saying that they've secured the bottom half of the building. Agent Sindacco reported in, saying that he has control of the roof and we have secured the top half and are ready to proceed."

President Eggert, Jake and all of the Admiral's and Generals were standing and watching the screen in awe. It happened very fast, and both President Eggert and Jake wanted to speak with her and tell her that she had done a great job, but they couldn't speak with her and they could only hold their breath as they watched events unfold before them.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched Rose kick in the door and two series of shots were fired at the bodyguards that remained. When they were dead, he watched his wife quickly look over the room. She seemed to be murmuring something to herself and then she nodded before charging to the second set of doors directly ahead of the ones that she had just kicked in, "This is some sort of anti-chamber, that's his office."

"Do we go in fast, with guns drawn?" Gulin asked.

"How about something in a hail of gunfire?" Rose smirked.

Jake smirked himself when he heard the cheer and laugh that came from the President, the Generals and Admirals in the room. He got the feeling that these men, who Rose would command along with the President, were beginning to like her very much. He turned his attention back to the screen. Rose was preparing the assault rifle and she would use it greatly.

That's how well he knew his wife.

* * *

><p>Holding up her hand, she put up one finger, two fingers and when she put up the third finger, she kicked the door open and brought the weapon up with its flashlight attached to the scope. There was a person in the office, but his back was turned to them and he was looking out the window.<p>

"At last, I was wondering when you would arrive," Zhu De spoke quietly.

"Mr. Chairman, Mr. President," Rose began quietly, bringing up the back of Zhu De's head in the scope of the rifle, she noticed out of the corner of her eye Gulin do the same thing, "You are aware that our two Governments have a bone to pick with you, now you refused the President's offer and look what it's gotten you, you're Military will be crushed in hours, you have no economy, you have no power, and best of all, we destroyed your Nuclear Weapons. You are done, finished, any last words, before we do it?"

Zhu De turned around and scowled when his eyes hit the light from the flashlights attached to the scopes on the rifles, "How did you get here?"

"Helicopter, roof entrance, those bangs you heard earlier were RPG's fired at all entrances and exits," Rose smiled and placed her finger on the trigger, she was about to do something that a lot of Americans back home wanted to do to the man, "Oh, and I know this is the part where your going to taunt us about not being able to escape, but I have a surprise for you. Right now, I have fifteen Blackhawk Helicopters circling this building, taking out all of your friends that might come and try to save you. I also have 45 Navy Seals on the Ground, fighting back the police. So here's what going to happen, Agent Gulin of Russia and I are going to shoot you repeatedly in the head and the chest. You are going to die miserably with the knowledge that our countries have completely destroyed yours and then I'm going to leave, sound good?"

Not bothering to hear his response, Rose brought the Gun up and fired, she pressed down hard on the trigger and quickly emptied the clip into the man, and they were not finished there. After Zhu De fell, Gulin ran to where the man's body fell and quickly unloaded the clip of his assault weapon into the man's _face_, "That way, the man won't become another Lenin or Mao."

Both of the Communist Leaders had their bodies preserved and were on display for the masses to see. Zhu De would not be joining them.

Rose sighed, but then realization hit her, "We need to get the hell out of here, we have 300 F-16's coming in to bomb the crap out of this district. I'll give the signal to Luker and Baer to meet us up at the roof. Let's get the hell out!"

* * *

><p>Jake held his breath as he watched things progress quickly. The sight of his wife, literally, running for her life filled him with a fear that he couldn't even explain. He had never seen it. She had never had to run for her life, people typically ran <em>from<em> her, for there lives. In the quick succession that things happened, he held his breath as the overwhelming sounds of jets filled the audio on the video. And he almost passed out as the signal got fuzzy for a moment, and it was replaced by complete static. He finally took a breath in as the President angrily turned to the control of the feed, "Get it back now!"

"I'm trying!" The aide scrambled to do something, anything to get it back.

A few more seconds passed and the thought did occur to Jake that if he walked over there, went into Dragon form and threatened to tear the man in half, he'd hurry up. Just as he was about to do something along those lines, the video feed came back up. It showed a memorizing sight. The building that Rose had just been in was on fire and in the process of a sure collapse. All around it, bombs and missiles were dropping. He finally smiled and took a deep breath when the feed turned to Rose's face, she was panting but she was smiling, "As you can see Madam President, we have accomplished the mission, faster than we expected. We're coming home."

President Eggert smiled and began to clap as a cheer erupted from the control center. The aides threw papers up in celebration and the typically stoned faces Admirals and Generals began to cheer and clap. Jake, overloaded with joy, picked up the _President of the United States _and began to jump up and down.

That capped one of the strangest days of his entire life.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: Next chapter is the epilogue, it sets the stage for the next story (<span>which is the last few parts of this story – just broken off<span>) and I'll end a few story lines. I swear to the god above that the next story is the last story. I might come back and do a next generation story for the hell of it, but it won't be longer than ten chapters. But the next story is the last of the larger stories, for sure. Anyway, leave a review if you want to.**


	20. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**Two Hours Later **

Putting the car in park, she sighed and looked down to the steering wheel. For some ungodly reason, she couldn't kill them, even though she knew she wanted to and she could actually do that deed, but there was something preventing her from doing it. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to pull herself out of her seat, open the door, throw the two out, hog tie them from hands to feet, and throw them into a concrete pit. Damn that bitch, maybe it was the fact that she had said that having kids would change her outlook on life. Maybe that was the physical thing that was keeping her from killing Rebecca and Daniel, no matter how much pain they caused her, "What happened, are we there?"

Erin sighed and looked over into the seat next to her. In it was a bag that she had pulled from their hotel room. She had made sure to get rid of the weapons in it, but the clothes and money were still there. She snarled and grabbed the bag. It was a stupid mistake, she would pay for it, someday, somehow, but she felt almost compelled do to what she was about to do. Setting the bag back down, she opened the center console and pulled out her pocket knife. Clicking the button in the side of the knife, she ejected the blade and reached back to the confused pair.

"You have no idea how lucky you two are right now," Erin snarled, cutting the wired rope firmly, "That whole talk about kids changing your outlook on life is true and that's why I've decided not to throw you in a concrete pit, as much as you two deserve it. Here's the deal, I'm going to give you two back your bag. It has all of your money clothes and documents. You can leave, with your lives, under two conditions, wanna hear them?"

"Yes, thank you," Daniel sighed in relief, and Rebecca merely nodded. She didn't want to admit that she was relieved.

"You don't ever, EVER, come into contact with any of my family members or friends ever again," Erin said, glaring daggers at Rebecca and then to Daniel, she turned back to Rebecca, "You, bitch, I don't ever want to see your face again. If I see your face again, I will kill you and bury your body in the woods. You consider yourself lucky that I'm letting you go, maybe it's because you deserve to find some sort of happiness, you were brainwashed as a child. I hope you realize that the people you admired were nothing but a bunch of murderous, evil, cold hearted bigots."

She turned to Daniel and scowled deeply, she even held the knife in her hand and made a slashing motion with it, "And _you_, you had better hope my mother makes it, because if she dies -…I will find, I will come for you and I _will_ kill you. I don't care if you are living in a grass hut in the middle of the desert in Africa, I will track you down if it takes me decades. And I'll put a few bullets in your chest and repay the favor."

"Erin-…" Daniel tried to apologize, but she simply held the knife out further to silence him.

"Shut up," Erin said and reached back to her passenger seat to pick up the bag, lift it over the console and toss it in between Daniel and Rebecca roughly, "Now, I'm going to turn around, I'm going to close my eyes and put my hands over my ears and count to thirty. If you two are not out of my car and out of my sight in that time, I will screw morals and just shoot you and put you in the cement. You ready, get ready to RUN!"

On the count of two, she turned and did exactly as she said she would, she closed her eyes and placed her palms on her ears tightly. In the old days, she would have put to shiny caps in their crowns and not give a second thought about it. And sure, she would still do that in some situations, but there was something about those two that made her pity them. They didn't have a chance, they were brainwashed from the moment that they could critically think. She couldn't blame them for what they did in all honesty, well maybe Daniel, because they were taught to do that.

Maybe they'd have a little insight if she forced them away.

Taking her hands off of her ears and opening her eyes, he looked around at the darkened parking lot of the abandoned warehouse. She looked to her backseat, it was empty. Maybe they were starting to get a little smarter. She only hoped that they would take to heart her threats. Because she would kill both of them if she ever ran into them again, but unless they purposely tried to come back, that was a long shot. Sighing, Erin turned the key in the ignition of the car and looked around in all of her mirrors. At last, Erin could breathe and now, now she was going to see her mother.

* * *

><p>"Thank you," President Eggert said into her cellphone, she was on the phone with the Chairman of the House of Representatives Nomination Confirmation Committee. It was a temporary committee until the Governors could replace the deceased Senators, at that point, the powers of Confirmation would be placed back with the Senate, "Thank you so much, when can we expect-…?"<p>

Jake watched the President with scrutinizing eyes. The reason he was doing this was because she had told him that she was moving forward with cementing Rose's nomination as Secretary of Defense. He knew very little about the Government, unlike Rose, but he did know enough about it to know that their lives were about to take a serious turn. Just the job title sounded important, _United States Secretary of Defense_, but he did realize that if there was anyone who could do that. It was Rose, and with her almost frightening knowledge of how to defend something, there was indeed no one better to take that job, "Mr. Long, I want you to know that the House of Representatives has just opened their confirmation hearings on Agent Long becoming my Secretary of Defense. Have any questions?"

"Will she have to testify or something?" Jake asked. He was puzzled about it.

"She'll have to answer questions," President Eggert nodded, folding her arms over her chest, "CIA Director Gordon and Deputy Director Mansfield are prepared to testify on her behalf, I'm so bent on having your wife in my Administration that I ordered my staff to try and find some people that she worked with at the LAPD to come and give their statements on her."

Jake whistled, "I think she'll be flattered."

"She is flattered," Rose said from behind them.

Both the President and Jake turned to see Rose, standing in the doorway of the Command Center. She had a tired smirk on her face. Jake raised his eyebrows and just as he was about to ask how she got there without them knowing, the President beat him to it, "How did you get here without us-...?"

"They tried to contact you, but you were on the phone," Rose held her hand up, "So the confirmation is for real, you've submitted the papers to them?"

President Eggert nodded and smiled, "If the schedule goes as planned, they'll deal with the procedural matters tonight behind closed doors. We're prepared to leak your name to the press, tonight, as the frontrunner and the likely candidate. Tomorrow, Directors Gordon and Mansfield will speak on your behalf. If things go how we want with your former LAPD co-workers, they'll testify on your behalf then and the next day they'll vote. I can assure you that you'll be confirmed, I have enough political weight to throw around."

"Alright," Rose nodded and turned to her husband, "Now what are we going to do?"

"I have to go back to the Isle of Draco and check in with the Dragon Council, confirm to them that their involvement in this is tightly controlled, that'll likely take a few agonizing hours," Jake sighed and slapped his hands against his sides, "I think it would be best for you to go home and see how the kids are doing. Tell them that you are just fine."

Rose nodded, "We're going to have to come with you and use a portal to get back home, and I am not in the mood for a six hour plane ride, how about you Madam President?"

President Eggert smiled and nodded, "I think I will join you."

* * *

><p>Erin sighed and walked into the ER, she wasn't prepared in her head to deal with this, but she knew that she had to do this. Shuffling her hands nervously, she walked to the front desk and tapped the stupid little bell on the counter. If they gave her an excuse such as visiting hours were over, she'd rip the little persons head off and find her mother herself. But, unlike the other members of the family, as the woman's daughter, she would have much more of legal right to see her mother, "Yes, what is it?"<p>

"Hi," Erin said quietly, "My name is Erin Hutchinson. My mother, Jackie Hutchinson was brought in here last night with three gun shots to the chest. I was wondering if I could see her? I know its past visiting hours."

The desk attendant nodded, but she typed Jackie's name into the Hospital Database and pulled her records up quickly, "Jackie Hutchinson, she was brought in last night with three gun shots in the chest. Two of them were clean through. One was extracted. She's in stable condition at the moment, but we still have her in ICU. You're her daughter you say?"

"Yes," Erin nodded, she felt relieved that her mother was at least stable.

"Ok," The attendant said quietly, leaning closer to Erin over the counter and she began to speak to her in a hushed tone, "I'm not allowed to let visitors in past Visiting Hours, but seeing as you're her daughter and the fact that someone shot your 68 Year Old Mother, I'll let you in to see her."

Erin smiled and nodded graciously, "Thank you, I'm grateful."

"She's in room 5V," The Attendant pointed to a hall down to the right of the both of them, "Right down that hall, to the left and five doors on your right."

"Thanks again," Erin smiled.

* * *

><p>DJ sighed and leaned back into the couch. He had done nothing but sit there for the past two days and watch the news and he was quickly approaching the point of tearing his hair out. He wanted to know how his mother and father were doing. He wanted to know how his sister was doing. DJ even wanted to know how Jackie was doing, but he couldn't bring himself to pick up a phone and call them. All he could seem to do was sit on the couch and watch TV.<p>

He was thankfully brought out of his revere when a pair of soft arms came from behind him to rest of his chest, he smiled. Marissa was feeling a lot better evidently because she was feeling affectionate. However, when Marissa leaned down to the side of his head to kiss him softly on the cheek, that smiled turned into a wide grin, "Thank you for taking care of me, DJ. I really do appreciate it and I wonder how I can repay you?"

"Nice attempt at a sex joke Rissa," DJ chuckled and turned to kiss her lightly, "I'm glad that you're feeling better, did you enjoy your nap?"

"Well my nap wasn't that long," Marissa shrugged, "When I went in there I just laid there and thought about everything, life, Jackie. I took my nap and when I got back up, I started to think about you and what you mean to me and I came to one conclusion, do you want to know what it was?"

He smirked at her and nodded, "I'd be interested in hearing it."

Marissa returned his smirk and leaned in to breathe the answer into his ear, "That for as long as I've known you – you've always taken care of me. I can't imagine living life without you. I've been so happy since you've been in my life that I really can't remember anything past meeting you and your family in great detail. I know we're young and that _I_ might be too young to be saying this, but David Jacob Long, _I'm in love with you_."

The eldest Long son blinked, it was almost as if he hadn't heard the words that came out of her mouth. At his utter speechlessness, Marissa chuckled warmly and leaned forward to kiss him on his open mouth, "I love you DJ, incase your wondering if I really just said that. I am so fucking in love with you that I cannot stand it. I know you might be a little shocked but-…"

She came to a complete stop as DJ suddenly leaned up and kissed her.

* * *

><p><strong>Forty Five Minutes Later<strong>

Alyssa grumbled when the phone on her bedside table rang, awakening her from her well deserved sleep. Turning the light on, she sneered and reached down to pick up the phone. Holding it up to her ear, she put on a false veneer of patience and non-irritation, "Hello – look I don't know where you are calling from, but it is midnight in New York City where I am. So if you could make this quick, I'd like to get back to bed."

"Grumpy," Johnny's amused voice said, "Sorry to wake you up – I just wanted to let you know that we just finished up with this thing. Your Mom and Dad are okay and no one is hurt. I'm on my way home as we speak."

"Where are you?" Alyssa asked as she leaned up in bed and ran her free hand through her long, but tangled hair.

"The Isle of Draco," He answered back leisurely, "Oh – and I don't know if your parents will be okay with me telling you this, but _the President of the United States _kind of offered your mother a new job."

Alyssa laughed and leaned back against the pillow, "What is it, _Secretary of the Department of Mental Patients and various crazy people_?"

"No," Johnny said with a bit of a laugh, "The Secretary of Defense."

Her mind went blank for a moment, and then she shot up with a boisterous hoot of laughter, "Oh my, she must absolutely love that."

"Yeah," Johnny mused with a bit of a chuckle, "She's perky."

"_My_ mother perky at the prospect of being second in command of the _Worlds Most Powerful Military_? No, how unbelievable," Alyssa drawled and shook her head with a bit of laughter, "Well good for her – I'm sure that we're going to hear about it more when she gets back, but I've kind of got some news of my own. I think you'll want to sit down for this one."

Johnny's voice became concerned quickly, "What is it? One of the kids-…"

"Johnny – it is good news, and we've been through it before," Alyssa said with a heavy sigh, "Uh, when I left the ER, one of the nurses caught me on my way out. It turns out that they detected some sort of hormone in my blood that told them something. I should have seen it coming by the fact that I've missed my period – but it turns out that I am pregnant."

"You're pregnant?" Johnny asked. His voice catatonic.

"Yes," Alyssa said humorously.

"You're p-pregnant?" Johnny asked again with a bit of a stutter.

"Yes dear – you've knocked me up…again," Alyssa finished with a grin.

* * *

><p>Hugging her coat to her body, Rachel Long was careful not to make a sound. If she had been at home, she would have looked a hell of a lot nicer, but she had to work with what her sister had. She was dressed in the clothes that she had been wearing all day, but she was all done up with everything that her sisters bathroom had to offer. With her straightened black hair and make up correctly applied, she had a date.<p>

It was with a boy that she knew her parents loathed, but she didn't much care, she wanted to see him. Looking around to her sister's quiet apartment, she grabbed a set of keys from the hook near the door and quietly slipped out. She was too good, she wouldn't get caught doing this.

It was her life, what the hell did her parents have to do with it? She wasn't drinking or doing drugs and as far as sex went, she'd do it when she damn well wanted to, not when they said she could do it.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: There you have it for the fifth installment – the next and last one will be essentially everything that I had planned for the rest of this story, just broken off into another one. Anything and Everything 6: Kiss of a Rose.<strong>


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